when you are pg? I know all of us will gladly take the m/s, backaches, lack of coffee and everything else. But, be honest, what body changes worry you?

To be perfectly honest, I am a small framed person. I have been a size 0/2 my whole life. I think putting weight on worries me. I will gladly stuff my face while pg but it'll be weird to look at a bigger version of myself in the mirror. I guess since it's happening gradually, I'll get used to it.

Hope this question didn't come out as being superficial, I just want your honest opinions on what body image worries you may or may not have.

[mlyster]

Seeing the weight gain won't be so bad for me since I am just barely getting used to my current weight (just lost 30 lbs). For me it will be the stretch marks (so superfical I know) and the change in my breasts. I am not a small chested woman and worry that once they grow they will not go back... DH won't have a problem with it but he does not have to carry them around all day!

[lmunoz8517]

hum I have been there and done it with not to many bad results. My teeth do get a little worse each pregnancy so that is always a fear but I am about to undergo some major dental work. I did get stretch marks but they are on my hips. I hope to not get them on my belly next go around.

Michelle- way to go on losing 30lbs! And I am hoping that I add a couple cup sizes and they'll stay. According to my mom, they dont, dang it!

Lauren- what happens to your teeth during pg, are they more susceptible to cavities? I get cavities kind of easily, I went to the dentist in October and haven't been back for a cleaning. I guess I should get on that...

[PixieQueen]

I am already fat and have stretch marks on, of all places, the backs of my knees from Tanith. Even being overweight though, I still had a relatively flat stomach until Tanith. I figure the next one can't do much more damage!

[klt]

Hmmmm. I've already gone through all the body "modifications" that take place during PG...
Yep, I have tons of stretch marks, the skin on my stomach has never quite been the same (like blowing up a balloon and letting all the air out ) a few varicose veins in my legs, etc...
But, honestly, not a big deal. My friends and I call our baby bodies our "medals of honor"...
But, doing this at 41 is going to be pretty hard on my body. I don't think things are going to go back quickly...Oh, well, definitely worth it.

[klt]

Hmmmm. I've already gone through all the body "modifications" that take place during PG...
Yep, I have tons of stretch marks, the skin on my stomach has never quite been the same (like blowing up a balloon and letting all the air out ) a few varicose veins in my legs, etc...
But, honestly, not a big deal. My friends and I call our baby bodies our "medals of honor"...
But, doing this at 41 is going to be pretty hard on my body. I don't think things are going to go back quickly...Oh, well, definitely worth it.

[MountainMomma]

Erika, you'll be happy to know that they do stick around for some women. I was a D cup when I got pregnant with my DD and went up up up. I was an F cup after my first pregnancy. I then had a breast reduction and went down to a C cup. After my second pregnancy I am a DD cup again. I am very afraid that this will happen again.

[momof6lopez]

I too am small framed. When I started having baby's in my twenties, I was a 0. When I had my last one at 32, I became a 2. Im 5'6, and having kids, 4 of them, never really changed my size much. Stretch marks are an understatement. the smaller you are, the more you are likely to get them and lots of them. Although, I gain weight pretty fast during pregnancy, I ended at 165 with all of my kids. Started any where from 105 to 115. So I gain alot of weight and loose it pretty fast after delivery. Never been more than 3-4 months to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy. I have had large babies, 8-10lbs for all of them. Even being 38 now, Im not too worried about gaining weight, I have never watched what I ate while pregnant or after due to breast feeding. Cant really diet when you breast feed. I do hate the fact that I cant color my hair while pg, I do have some gray and it sucks......

[~Angela~]

I experienced really bad m/s with my last pg (that I lost). I think it was because I was pg. with twins because I didn't have it with my previous 2. I had a hard time functioning with nausea at work. It felt like the flu kind of, except I couldn't just stay in bed, I had to go to work and throw up (I also commute 45 mintues each way to work, so that wasn't fun either).

So, I really fear ever getting that again.

[Trish36]

I've been there as well...the stretch marks, the weight gain, the excess skin on the stomach that just won't go away no matter how many situps you do. . That doesn't bother me anymore. What I am afraid of is the constipation. That was one reason why I didn't take my prenatals with my last pregnancy. It was bad enough already and I didn't need to add iron to make things worse.

I actually ended up 20 pounds lighter after DS than I was when I got pregnant even though I gained a grand total of 85 pounds. If you're worried about weight gain, just remember that as long as prenatals are taken, the average woman doesn't need to start adding extra calories until the 2nd trimester. And that's only an extra 300 calories a day, which you can get from a protein bar (Luna, Odwalla, etc) without too much "bad" fat. PP is right, though - even though you have the physical markings of mommy-hood, you have this beautiful new life to show for it all.

I'm worried about acne! I got it so bad with DS and preggos are advised against using salicylic acid products which were the only kind that get rid of my acne. I looked like a 13-year-old with all the bumps, which were not just on my face. Back, chest, neck, arms, rear. Yum...

[Kary♥RN]

HAHAHAHA...... What a great topic.... I had to laugh... reading everyones answers... I was sitting here either saying yep.. or have that.. LOL I have 15 lbs more to loose to be pre nursing school wgt... I don't think I will ever see the 120's again. I have the strecth marks, the veins... and saggy bbs.... I have constipation.... my teeth yep same thing getting worse every year.. These are every day things... OH are we talking about being preg? LOL I guess lossing my hair... When I get pregnant.. my hair thins.. right now that is the only thing I got going..... How sad is that!

I'm glad everyone is being so honest and open about this! I was worried you'd all think I was so superficial! But pg can change your body forever so I wanted to know!

My mom said she lost the pg weight within a few weeks after giving birth with all 3 of us. And in turn lost her cup sizes. I am shaped just like her so I will probably have the same experience. Only time will tell....

And after reading all of your posts I am more concerned about acne and stretch marks than weight gain! haha What did I start

[MountainMomma]

Ohh...I didn't even think about the hair loss. It didn't happen to me until a month or so after each of my kids were born, but it thinned out so much I thought I was going bald! I really don't want that to happen again!

What? Hair loss. OMG. I thought you didn't shed hair during pg and then after you deliver you start losing all that "extra" hair. Does it keep falling out beyond that???

[MountainMomma]

Mine thinned out much thinner than it had ever been, but then it thickened back up to normal after about 6 weeks.

[amylou378]

I'm small, about 5 feet, but big on top I ate whatever I wanted while preggo w/ DD and gained 40 pounds in the process. It took awhile to lose it all, but I now weigh a few pounds less than I did before I got preggo with her. I WILL NOT (I say to myself) eat like an absolute pig the next time! That is really my biggest fear. That and more stretch marks. Honestly, I have many from my teen years, mostly on my hips and boobs. I only got ONE while preggo, and it appeared the week before I had her, on my lower abdomen right above my hip bone. That made me mad...

I don't worry too much about boob size. W/ Ava, I was a 34DD before, got up to a F or G while pregnant and breast feeding, and then went back down to a 34DD. They're a little more saggy, but honestly, they were saggy before, so no big deal. Nothing you can do, right? That's what miracle bras are for

[Mrs. Langley]

I think my biggest worry is my boobs too. I thought hubby and I were don't having kids so I had breast augmentation a few years ago and I'm a little worried that another pregnancy may cause issues there. Not just apprearance issues either, I worry about breast feeding too...guess time will tell

[MrsB1227]

weight gain and humongous boobs are my fear (i'm already a C cup and am only 5'3)