Have you seen this picture? I saw it yesterday and I got really mad. First of all, while I have the stretch marks that prove I've had two children, my belly looks nothing like this woman's. Secondly, I don't think my body is ruined, but it's definitely NOT anything like what it was before my two pregnancies. Finally, I don't look at my stretch marks like no 'goddamn' tiger stripes. They're freaking stretch marks and I hate them!
I don't think there's anything absolutely empowering about my stretch marks. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my children to death and I wouldn't want my life to be any other way than they way it's now, but to suggest that I should embrace my stretch marks is completely ludicrous!
I didn't gain a lot a weight when I was pregnant with either one of my children. I mean, of course I gained weight, but it was just the amount I was "supposed" to gain and since I've always had a pretty fast metabolism, I lost it fairly quickly and easily after they were born, especially because I breastfed both of them.
Even so, my body never ever went back to looking the way it did before I had them (no matter how much I've exercised since). Not that I ever expected it to, but looking at my stretch marks is a constant reminder of what will never be. There's nothing I like about them or about how they make it really difficult for me to wear a bikini again without being self-conscious about them. Oh, and since we're at it, I also hate the scar that was left from the C-section I had to have with my first child! It's bumpy and red and it itches a lot when it's really dry outside.
So, excuse for not being able to embrace any of this "deformities" as tiger stripes even though I have definitely earned them.
What do you think about this photo? Does it help you feel better about your stretch marks?
Image via howtobeadad.com
