Can anyone help?...

AugustMum

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Im currently studying photography and finishing my second year. Ive been looking into how the media portrays women and how images are altered. This then led me onto thinking about how Im feeling about my body at the moment and how even though were creating a life their is still a great demand for us to not gain too much weight and look good.

Ive decided to do this for my dissertation next year and Im starting research so juts wondered how you all felt about your pre/during/post pregnancy bodies.

I know for me its been very difficult to accept that my body is changing and that after Ive had my little one I will have to accept whatever has happened to my body. People then making jokes and saying 'fatty' is not really helping. Why is it acceptable to make fun of a pregnant persons shape?? We have just as much pressure from the media from this magazines that are showing pregnant celebraties all made up and styled and then the airbrushed images of pregnant people on the magazines.

How do you all feel about it??? (thanks btw :) )
 
Ooh how interesting Melio!!!! I need to think about this one though as I fear I would ramble too much.
 
I am so glad I cam across this post as I was going to write one myself (obviously it would've been slightly different as I am not studying photography).
I hope it all goes well for you hun.

I really don't like how I am looking, in fairness I have always disliked how I look but funny thing is I've always said if I got pregnant and was showing an obvious 'pregnant bump' I'd love it as your bump is not fat and you are carrying something gorgeous and precious to you.
But everytime I look at myself I am convinced I look huge as in fat and that I don't look pregnant. Other people tell me otherwise but these are the people who see me alot and see my bump grow, so they know that I'm pregnant. But it makes me think do I actually look fat or pregnant to the people who dont know me.

I also don't like it when people call me fatty and due to that and how I feel anyway I know I'll go straight on a diet and exercise alot after baby is here (when I know its safe to do so, as if I'm breastfeeding I want to make sure I'm still giving her the nutrients she needs).
I am abit worried about how my body will change but in a way I know I'll accept it as I would've have achieved something in life that I've always wanted to and thats have my baby :)

I so would love to look like some of the women out there with their perfect round bumps or the pregnant women in the magazines.
Sorry for rant and I'm not sure if I answered what you were asking lol
 
You answered it exactly! Im the same as you and already planning on getting back to swimming and running and gym ect after babys here. We shouldnt have to spend 9 months worrying about what we can do to get our shapes back, we should be enjoying growing, like you said, the precious and beautiful thing inside us.

Im hoping with my series of images I can show myself as a pregnant woman with all the flaws and then my body afterwards and how its changed. Theres a website (but for the life of me cant remember what it is) and it shows women and how their bodies have changed and if theyve got it back to how it was or how theyre accepted it...really wish I could remember it!
 
Well here I go!!
I've been off sick for the last 6 weeks so spend a lot of time in my own head. It can be difficult to make sense of myself at times :) I've always been 'overweight' and looking back as a child yeah I was a bit chubby at times. Then I found pics of high school and uni and I'm shocked at myself! I hated my body then thinking I was fat and actually now I would love to look like that!! Typical distorted body image of a teenager. I looked fab!

So my weight had been creeping up leading to pregnancy anyway and I was really starting to not like myself (PCOS was making weight hard to shift). So for the start of my pregnancy I just felt even fatter, spending most of my time trying to cover my flab rather than celebrating the start of my bump. In the last few months I seem to have grown this bump that I actually quite like! Although I have to wear a tubigrip and I somehow feel more 'normal' when I have it on as it holds in all the flab too! It's like fat pants for pregnancy, how odd am I! I really didn't like the stares I got in Asda the other day though, that's just rude! I couldn't figure out why people do that, I mean I didn't even have bog roll on my shoe or my knickers tucked into my skirt or anything to warrant it the attention.

I've accepted my stretch marks so far (and there are quite a few) as I know they'll fade in time. I've got no great plans to go on an exercise binge once bubs is here but since i'm not very mobile just now I've begun to really appreciate the thought of a long walk, or running up the stairs so I'm hoping I can get my activity levels up and just having a body that feels good again, just me again!

My OH said just last night how much bump had grown and that we definately need to take more pics (which makes me a bit nervous!) and even a good friend of ours said how his girlfriend wasn't as big even right at the end. Those sorts of comments are bittersweet! Proud to nurture my baby but bloody hell.......are you calling me fat?????!!!!!

Right I've definately rambled enough and that's the short version :)
 
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hey i study photography in the South West - are you at Falmouth? i am at Salisbury x
 
Then I found pics of high school and uni and I'm shocked at myself! I hated my body then thinking I was fat and actually now I would love to look like that!! Typical distorted body image of a teenager. I looked fab!

So my weight had been creeping up leading to pregnancy anyway and I was really starting to not like myself (PCOS was making weight hard to shift). So for the start of my pregnancy I just felt even fatter, spending most of my time trying to cover my flab rather than celebrating the start of my bump.

I agree with all this hun, I was exactly the same.
When I was a teenager I was like a size 8 and hated myself then I thought I was huge (legs mainly) after college I was creeping up from a size 10-12.
PCOS was taking me to a 14 now with my bump I'm a 16. I hope after the bubs I can get myself to at least a 10 or 12.

But you are right as long as we feel ok in ourself and can still be active, thats all that really matters. I would just hate not being able to do things with my LO once she is here.

Melio, if you ever remember that website please message me with it, as I think it will definately be worth a read.
Hope everyone is well xx
 

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