Linky linky
I just have to link you guys to this awesome blog: The Shape of a Mother. If you're a mother, or even if you're trying to get pregnant, these images will amaze you. These women are very brave, and very beautiful. I hope I'm able to show myself and my body some of that same love after I deliver a child. Thanks to Tits McGee, whose link on her very thoughtful post today led me to this awesome site.
Also, because I'm food obsessed these days (sorry, I'll try to steer it towards showing you what I've cooked, instead, once this heat wave blows over. For the past two nights I have dined on cereal with bananas, and half an egg salad sandwich, respectively. It's too goddamned hot to cook) I am linking you to a list of products that contain genetically modified organisms. If you have questions about why genetically engineered food, sometimes called Frankenfood, is not good, look here. And you can find more info here. In any case, I think you'll be surprised at how many of the products we use contain GMOs.
posted by Mrs. Harridan @ Thursday, August 03, 2006
7 Comments:
I'm conflicted about that site. The Shape site, I mean. Everyone is raving about it, but to me the majority of those women look really good after pregnancy and then to have comments open just causes people to rant and rave over how good they do look, rather than reveling in the changes as marks of victory. There are exceptions, but still...
It almost makes me want to volunteer, because dammit, I don't look that good, and I'm frustrated with my inability to lose a lot of the weight, but I'm generally happy with myself. And I'd do the Full Monty too, because it's not just the belly that gets doughy. They oughta have some pictures of stretched out, nursed-to-death boobs too. And stretched out back fat. All of it. That's the shape of a woman.
And I also don't like hearing people say "I got right back to my pre-pregnancy weight within 7 months." That's not normal, and nursing doesn't take the weight off. If actually keeps it on so that your body can maintain the stores of fat it needs to produce the high calorie liquid diet.
End of rant. (I don't feel strongly about this at all.)
Mignon, I can kind of understand what you mean ... although I haven't experienced this yet, and it's something I won't fully understand until I have. While I understand that negative comments can't be tolerated on that site (what, these women need to feel worse than they've made themselves feel?), it yanks my chain a little that they say they'll be deleted. Free speech and all that. There is a page with all different boobs on it, too (check Tits' site for the link), and I think a good many of them are streteched out nursing boobies.
I like the site because it tells women it's OK if you don't bounce right back, that your baby belly is something to be proud of. I have to admit, some of the images freaked me out. You don't see stuff like this, usually. I like that they had some photos of women who got back to a trim size afterward, because it made me feel hopeful. But again, my discalimer is that I haven't experienced this, so I can't judge the way I should, if that makes sense. I guess I'm trying to say the site makes me feel conflicted, too.
Thanks for weighing in. I really appreciate the comment. It's good to have a mom's perspective! I'm going to ask my sisters what they think about this, too, as they are also moms I am close to.
Thanks for not lambasting me. While the "looks so cute and trim after 7 months" stories are encouraging for people in your position, they're dangerously unrealistic for people in mine. The majority of moms I know admit to not feeling normal until their babies were 18 or more months, and only then if they were entirely done nursing. I think the "nursing takes the weight off" song and dance is propaganda for those on the fence and just bad advice for those committed to breastfeeding.
Thanks Mrs. H (and Tits McGee) for pointing out that site -- I passed it along to a bunch of moms I know.
The images surprised me, because I don't think I've ever seen honest post-pregnancy pictures before. Britney, Angelina, Julia, Kate, Katie -- still taut and perky a couple months later. So it's an eye-opener to see a filligree of stretchmarks, or the droop of an abdominal separation. I admire women comfortable enough with their bodies to post their pics online, especially those that are head-on, not anonymous.
I wish someone had told me about a couple of body changes when I was pregnant, not so much to scare or intimidate, but just to inform. Things that aren't in the books. Maybe I'll blog about this when I feel a little more comfortable. Right now Pugawug is 20 months, I've been done nursing for a little over 5 months, and I'm just starting to feel like a shadow of my old self again.
One way of accepting my altered body may be to adorn it with a tattoo. I've seen so many women walking around SF with colorful, beautiful work. I think it would be nice to celebrate motherhood, and my new body, by embellishing it my way. Unfortunately, my husband and sister think I'm nuts/having a mid-life crisis. We'll see ...
I know what you mean about the pix of the women who snapped right back, Mignon, but there are a variety of shapes on the site, and I'm happy just to have any pictures of stretched-out skin and droopy boobs out there. I have conflicted feelings about my post-baby body, and it was nice to see some other women's bodies that looked like mine, even if the majority of the pix on the site don't.
Also, Pugawug, I've been contemplating a new tattoo to commemorate my daughter's birth, too. Can't make up my mind what and where, though.
I liked it.
But understanding everyone, I get equally frustrated when I see celebrities back to a size 0 in mere weeks. But my issues with size-acceptance go far beyond the pregnant body. Wouldn't it be great if we could love our bodies for what they do, not just what they look like. Yeah, I know. On Mars maybe.
In the meantime, I've had enough of beating myself up. And being pregnant has only made me more self-protective. Beanie deserves at least that.
Good research.
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