Pregnancy and body image

This has been on my brain a bit lately as I have many many friends who are currently pregnant or have recently had children. Body image. It's something a lot of us struggle with from a young age and it never seems to go away, it just changes.

I know that there is the occasional woman out there who totally embraces pregnancy with confidence, feeling gorgeous and not worrying about her size, weight, or whatever else is happening to her body. But for a lot of us it's something that bothers us at least a little. People start commenting on how large you are, asking if you are carrying twins or act shocked when you tell them your due date. Yeah, it's not exactly a confidence booster!
Many of us also have the joy of dealing with stretch marks, swollen hands and feet, and stuffy or bloody noses. Doesn't exactly make a girl feel beautiful.

My belly is getting big. I'm in week 29 of pregnancy and that precious baby boy inside me currently weighs anywhere from 2.5-3 pounds (so my app tells me.) He is floating around along with a bunch of other extra things adding to the weight like water, placenta, blood, etc. I'm not worried about my weight gain as it's still sitting around 12 pounds. I had no problem losing it last time and I plan to do whatever I can to lose it again this time.

I got stretch marks from Noah at the very end of my last pregnancy, around week 38/39. Then I had gallbladder surgery and received a few more scars including a larger one around my belly button (and the gallbladder problems were due to pregnancy in the first place.) This time around the marks I have have gotten darker and because of my operated on belly button area I have already gotten new stretch marks around those scars. If I end up having to have a csection from this little guy being breech I'll have another scar added to the collection.

I know skin eventually tightens up after pregnancy and there are exercises/stretches to help with it, but for most people it never fully goes back to the way it was. It'll always be looser then what it was.

What's my point in all this? I've just decided not to care about it so much anymore and embrace it all. Yes, I'm getting large. I'm suppose to. I'm growing a human being inside my body and it's no easy task. The scars aren't fun to see, but I'm considering those my battle scars. They represent what I've accomplished and what I'm doing. So what if I never wear a bikini again! My husband could care less and still thinks I'm beautiful, even in a one piece. Would I trade my children for a smaller tighter hotter body? Never in a million years!!!

So next time you see a pregnant woman, do her a favour and avoid commenting on her size. Tell her how beautiful she looks growing that baby. Believe me, you'll make her day!

Turn baby turn!

Goober enjoying some piano time.

Pregnancy is still going good! I am starting to feel a little large and the requests have begun for back massages from my husband. The sleeping with a pillow to support my belly has started and thanks to my sore tailbone I am already waddling a bit. But this is all to be expected and I'm feeling well.

My only concern right now is little baby Ashers current position, which is breech. I know it's still early and he has lots of time to turn. But it was brought up during my ultrasound and It was the same during my 3D over a month earlier. I know he is still in that position now as all movement is very low in my belly. His bum is sitting right above my cervix and he seems quite comfortable there.

As I said, it's still early. I am in week 24 and he has another 10 weeks or so to turn before they would 'book' a csection for me and continue to monitor him. But just the fact that a csection has been mentioned and I have no control over his position has me nervous. Obviously I want what is best for him and for me and if that means we have to go that route then so be it. I can deal with 'surgery' and bring in help while I heal, but I do feel a little like I'd be 'robbed' of an experience by having a csection. I know I know, tons of woman have them all the time and have never experienced a vaginal delivery. As painful as labour is, it's also kind of a thrill when you have that moment of actually pushing a baby out and bringing them into the world. I'm scared to miss out on that moment with this one. And the other fear is that if I have a csection this time I know I'd be pushed to go for a csection for our third (but I'd want to go for a vbac!)

Don't worry, I am honestly not freaking out yet or all panicked. It's just on my brain and it's something I never expected to have to think about. I always assumed if I have a csection it'd be in the case of an emergency. It'd be so weird to walk into the hospital, not contracting, and to walk into a surgical room and come out with a baby an hour later.

Anyways, I am processing here and you just happen to be on the receiving end. Would love to hear some happy stories of babies who turned just in time or happy c section stories to give me hope if you've got em :)