I had a healthy pregnancy, not sure how much weight I gained but not much past my 9'10" baby and accessories; two months later and I'm back in my jeans with an extra cup size to boot. And yes, the VJJ is different, but I was so tight before that sex was nearly always painful, and now it...isn't. So that's an improvement. And yet I feel mutilated. I have stretch marks from ribcage to thighs, not just stretched but ruined skin, angry purple, sagging and alien. My breasts (which aren't even that much bigger!) have radiating lines like little suns, with giant brown areolae where my cute pink nipples used to be, my previously perky little breasts running down my ribcage like melted marshmallows. My butt is gone and my ankles went from slender to waterlogged-beyond-recognition to emaciated. My darling little boy is sweet, and I'd take worse for him...but it still hurts. I don't care who sees a nipple when I'm nursing but I'm ashamed when my belly shows; my husband says I'm beautiful but I can't believe him. I'm 23, I want more children, but I'm scared of what they'll do to my body. For those who have suggested that how different your body is post partum depends on how much weight you gain...it ain't necessarily so.

Oh MW, you have no idea the shit storm that comment caused on half a dozen blogs, Twitter, and now my site. I thought it sounded offensive, too, when I saw it, even though I was describing a conversation I had with a seven year old and not stating a gender/political view. It had nothing to do with whether someone can have a baby. I was especially surprised that no one (until you came here) said anything in these comments, or came to my blog to ask for clarification. Honestly, people. I had already published a retraction and was on the same page. However, I now have thirty thousand arrows in my back, and while I was apologizing everywhere everyone came over to my place to wrestle, and then we offered Jello and everyone calmed down. Notice I asked that my sidebar quote be changed - and they did it immediately - at midnight, no less. I think it's run its course, and now I am going to draw a hot bubble bath and look for some wine. I've gotta have some wine somewhere, right? RIGHT?

@badmummy -- Me too. On the other hand, because I was not what one would call petite before I got knocked up the first time, I already had the belly-in-need-of-creative-disguise, stretch marks, babylicious breasts, etc. So I looked completely unpregnant and prebaby (minus some ridiculous missile sized breasts) the day I left the hospital. *Looked* is the operative word here. I managed to lose all but ten pounds of the 25 I gained before I caught preggers again. Nearly 4 years later I've managed to lose and relocate the same 20 pounds several times. Highly frustrating since I gained a total of 47 with kid 2. Must be even more frustrating for my darling husband who never knew me as the Fat Girl. This is old territory for me, but before wifey and momma, he's only ever known me as the Hot Record Chick, 60lbs lighter than I am. God bless him for still wanting to grab my enormous ass.