One thing you LOVE about your PostPartum/Post adoption body!

[Lovingliv]

Ok, I wanted to start this thread because it can be so hard to find the positive when you don't *feel* so sexy and attractive about yourself. Postpartum/preggo time can make you feel less than attractive.
Please add your comments if you had your baby 1 day ago or 10 years ago. For mommies and daddies that adopted...your bodies may have changed in the becoming parents phase just as mine did. I want to know.......

Tell us one thing you love about your "New Parent Body"

I will go first.....read on!

[Lovingliv]

I *LOVE* my calves...they are so strong from stooping down to pick up Liv!!!

[crayonblue]

Well, I love my left arm because I often carry Lauren on my left hip and my left arm is strong. Yes, she is 2 1/2 but she is very, very light and so I pick her up to see things.

I can't really think of anything else! :)

[psophia17]

Great thread!

I love my laugh lines - I have laughed more since DS was born than I have in my entire life, and it makes me happy to see signs of that on my face.

[lisams]

My nails. It's kind of an odd one, but I've been taking prenatals for about 5 years straight (between TTC, being pregnant and nursing), and they make my nails very strong and so healthy looking.

[CiderLogan]

Great thread!

Here's something that came to mind: my flabby tummy! Here's why: it was always a bit flabby, and now it's much flabbier, but now I have an *excuse* for those rolls of fat! Of course I'd love to have it slimmer and tighter (and I'm going to start working on it one of these days), but for now I just chalk it up to having had two kids in the past three years. I figure there are years down the road to fix it.

Of course, I don't think this way when I am trying to fit into my jeans from last year, but today I'm feeling more positive than usual!

Jenny
Julia, 8/03
Clara, 5/06

[Piglet]

My arms. I always wondered why my mom's arms were so strong and muscular even though she was petite and didn't exercise much... now I know - I was heavy, LOL! So are my kids! Now, of course, my mom exercises all the time and could kick my lazy butt anyday, but I have something to look up to her for again.

[BaileyBea]

Okay so I am cheating... but last time I was PP I loved being able to sleep on my tummy again and roll over easily.

I loved my fat jeans.

I am looking forward to doing it all over again.. Can you tell this little girl to come out already. ;-)

[maestramommy]

Well, so far I'm loving that I even have boobs. Used to be totally flat chested. Of course I have no idea what will happen when bfing ends!

[Lovingliv]

This is great....these are some great answers and this is such a great thread for when we are not loving ourselves so much!!!!!

You mamas rock!!!!

Come on Ladies,,,,I know you are reading......answer and join in!!!!

[Sillygirl]

My 6 months post-partum body was about thirty pounds lighter than when I got pregnant, and stayed that way. It's now creeping back up appropriately with the second pregnancy.

[mommyoftwo]

Thanks for forcing me to think about this. It took a long time for me to come up with something, but here it is. I love the fact that my back is strong now. I wear Linnea in a baby carrier regularly and I know it has helped my back. Last week I went on a two hour hike with her strapped to my back (see pictures in my vacation thread) and my back didn't even hurt!

[hez]

I have to cheat and say two:

My nails are long and strong (similar story-- been on prenatals for a good long while now).

My arms are toned -- Payton's up to 38ish pounds now, and I can still carry him a long way :)

[jenjenfirenjen]

nak. honestly, i just love my body in general and am in awe of what it can do...grow two beautiful babies, birth them, nourish them and comfort them. maybe i should get over myself, as chris rock says, "even cockroaches have kids," but i think i'll be forever in awe of what my body can accomplish. i am losing weight to be as healthy as i can, but my negative body image issues are gone.

[wencit]

Well said, Jen!

Sometimes I'll look at my son and can't believe that my body created something so perfect (despite the fact that I didn't have the best pregnancy diet, shhhh). I also can't believe that my body is able to keep him nourished and growing and healthy (despite the fact that I don't have the best breastfeeding diet either, shhhh ;) ). Sometimes it's irritating that I can't put on my pre-pregnancy pants, but I just remind myself that my body grew my son, and then I'm not so embarrassed about my pooch anymore. It's almost like a badge of honor for me now.

To answer the OP, I have to say I'm liking my postpartum skin. I still get pimples from time to time, but not nearly as often as I did before. My friends say I'm glowing from the joys of motherhood! :D

[crayonblue]

Well, from one flat chested person to another, I can tell you what happens when brfing ends, but I don't think you want to hear it! :)

[Fairy]

Wow. Ya know, I loved my body DURING pregnancy alot more than before or after. Except for the hemmoroids. Anyway . . .

Like other posters, I do like my arms. They really have toned up quite a bit up top. The still have flab, but they really do look so much better from the constant picking up of always big for his age DS. He's just over 3 feet fall, and he's not even two! So, thanks to my little dude, I have pretty decent arms for a big chick.

[maestramommy]

Well, at least it's not like I had much cleavage to speak of before, sigh.....

[kijip]

Lifting Toby has kept my arms and back as strong as years of hiking and weight training did pre-Toby.

That said, I was at a restaurant recently and caught a glimpse of myself in the window and I was like "wow, I look gooooood" especially pertaining to my shoulders and breasts. I seriously think that is a first in a LONG LONG time, pre delivery for sure. So I don't know if my body has come back or perhaps just my self esteem, LOL.

[newnana]

Okay, mine is not as specific as all that. I have never liked my body, even when running 8 miles a day and doing bazillions of push ups and having a six pack. After having one MC then pregnant with DD 4 months later, my hormones and lack of working out and fabulous dessert diet have taken their toll. I am now more than twice the size I was when we got married.

And I have never been happier with myself.

When I'm in a swimsuit bending over so DD can hold my fingers as we walk through the sprinkler and she's laughing so hard that she's practically screaming there is no way that I could think about the rolls on my belly or the cottage cheese attached to my thighs.

At many points in my life I've looked back at pictures and thought, "how could I have thought I was fat? I looked great." Now I'm actually applying that logic to be a "who cares, I could look so much worse." And attempting to show DD that it's not all about obsessing how we look. Not that I want her to be a slob, just happy with herself by example.

The funny thing is, I really AM happy with myself (not just acting like it for her sake) and would have never guessed that it would be at my heaviest. Of course, like a PP said, now the rolls are for a reason!

Wow, I need to learn to edit!!!
Michelle

[american_mama]

My breasts have stayed big, although a bit saggier. I was a 34B before getting pregnant, and weaned for about 6 months before getting pregnant again, and have only been nursing 1-2 times a day for about three months now... and my breasts have stayed big the whole time. DH certainly notices. So there's hope.

[ribbit1019]

My hair, it has become more curly since being pregnant. Not sure why. I love that I can blow dry it straight or add some curl enhancing products and have the curly hair I longed for as a teen. :)

Christy
My Waterbabies
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[kozachka]

Believe or not, but I look less pear-shaped. It's partially because I lost inches in my hips from trying to keep with my super-active DS, and partially because I got bigger on top as my breasts increased one cup size from BFing. They are saggier but nobody can tell when I wear a bra ;). People who have not seen me in years say that I look better than before I had DS but maybe they are just being nice...

[fredsmom]

As an adoptive parent I enjoyed the looks I got from others when I had a newborn but not the immediate postpartum body. It was great to go to my 20th high school reunion in a size 4 dress and a 5 week old. It was a personal triumph, because for years I was overweight due to fertility drugs. I finally lost the weight before Fred's birth and immediately lost more right after he was born because I was stressed waiting for everything to be finalized.

Now that Fred is a toddler, the small pouch that I have always had fits right into my persona as a mom.

I also like that I have come to terms with my features. I am happy with the way I look. Before baby, I never left my house without a shower, my hair blown dry, and makeup on my face. I don't have time to battle my hair or wear lots of makeup anymore and I'm okay with it.

Great thread, I could relate to all the other comments as well.

Kathleen

Fred 3/2005
Matched with baby #2 due in Feb. 2007!

[Corie]

Petra,

I totally agree!! I absolutely love laugh lines on women
AND men! To me, it shows they must do lots of laughing
and smiling and enjoying life!

I love Dennis Quaid's laugh lines!!
(Carson and I just watched Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan
and Dennis Quaid.)

[Lovingliv]

Welcome to the BBB Kathleen, and congrats......we are "due" the same month!!!!!
:)

[fredsmom]

Thanks, Rachel! All we need to do is get through football season...the babies will be here before you know it!

Good luck with everything,

Kathleen

[BillK]

>As an adoptive parent I enjoyed the looks I got from others when I had a newborn but not the immediate postpartum body.

>Kathleen
>Fred 3/2005
>Matched with baby #2 due in Feb. 2007!

Haha - I remember that too - when my wife and I were at the airport in Los Angeles waiting to fly home with 3 day old Zach - some lady came up to see him and just went on and on about how great my wife looked. She just smiled and said "thank you". We sort of snickered about it all the way back to PA. It happened a few times back home too - she finally decided to start fessing up though out of guilt I think. ;)

As far as the original post goes - I love my wife's tight little butt she has now from chasing after Zach all day long (not that it was bad beforehand - just better now)!