This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Poise, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #cleanandfreshswitch http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.
After having your first child, you expect changes in many ways; you just are not able to comprehend how many changes you will be in for. You now have an infant that relies on you 24/7, so the endless nights take a toll physically and emotionally but that is something we anticipate.
The movies portray an unfair view of what happens to a woman after she gives birth, reality is not quite so nice. They show a woman giving birth and then looking the same way she did before getting pregnant, if only it were that easy! For most of us, we may never get back to the same weight we were before giving birth or the way we looked before. We are left with stretch marks in many places that will never vanish. The reality is, that is okay! It may take a long while to realize that, I just had my third child and am working on it still!
Battle Scars of Motherhood
When I look at those stretch marks, now I smile. No, I am not crazy but I have come to accept that they are there because I have been blessed with three miracles in my life. Despite the odds being stacked against me, three beautiful babies did grow in “my egg” (as my children called it when I was pregnant with Bethany). Pregnancy is such a beautiful thing and the stretch marks remind me to be so thankful of my blessings.
The bags under my eyes have become a permanent facial feature of mine I wish I could wish away. I have come to accept they are just another battle scar of motherhood. I remember those days I longed to be holding my child and would have done anything to hear them cry and cuddle them. There are so many women who struggle to have children, who would trade in their sound night’s sleep for those sleepless nights of feeding, rocking and cuddling in the blink of an eye.
And can I be frank? While we should expect it, no one informs you that your bladder will never be the same! You have had your child grow, stretch, kick and do everything under the sun to your bladder, so why would it? I expected light bladder leakage while I was pregnant, but never expected it to continue. When you laugh, sneeze, cough, heck even just bend over. Now I have to smile about it, what else can you do, cry? I have done that too, it doesn’t change it! I have come to accept it is a part of my life and now keep my secret weapon in my diaper bag, Poise.
Learning to Love Myself Again
Over the last five years I have had three children. All three were very complicated pregnancies and I had no choice but to take loads of medications to help my children grow and develop. As a result, I grew and grew. My body has changed, I have changed.
So maybe I don’t look like I did when we got married but very few people look like they did over ten years ago. That is the point; we grow in so many ways with age. With time, we change.
Bottom line, we have to learn to love ourselves, no matter who we are or what chapter we are writing in our book of life.
While Motherhood may be a battle that leaves us with many scars, literally, we need to look at them as what they are actually are, battle trophies. Each of those things we may hate in the beginning, are actually all remembrances of the fact that we are Mothers! We have been blessed with the ability to have a precious life grow and develop inside us.
My children are the light of my life. Knowing what I know today, would I do it all over again, again and again? Absolutely! I can’t possibly imagine life without them.
My Secret Weapon
There are many different varieties of pads but I have personally found the Poise brand more effective with bladder leakage than other pads that are period-only. With the way they are designed, the Poise pads are thin and extremely flexible, so you can keep up with your active little ones without feeling that you are wearing a heavy pad and still have the confidence of being protected.
If you are a Mom like myself and have a light bladder leakage issue, embrace your battle scar and then take control with Poise! Right now, Walgreens is offering a $2.00 coupon off any Poise product.
I love my Poise. I am not denying that! 🙂 Who knew our bits would be so broken?
Great post, and so true. I just hate my right leg. My son ruined my circulation and it’s ugly. My entire leg looks different than my left, plus, I have tremendous back pain. But they are so worth it and I’d also do it all over again. Your family is beautiful. Hugs!
I’ve never used poise, but it’s good to know that they are there and they work should I ever need them. The stretch marks, find me something that gets rid of those and I’ll be a happy girl… Not even all of them, just like 45% of them. LOL
I always wished my parents had prepared me to what it means to have a baby.
Good article here.
You know.. I’m not bothered I pick my battles and tackle them one by one.. Been there with the stretchmarks.. well.. now 18 years later.. I’m over them.. SOO it will be okay, enjoy those babies they will grow up way too fast, don’t stress the little things…:-)
My biggest scar would be stretch marks and the tummy which makes me looks like I’ve enjoyed lots of huge meals.
You look great! Beautiful family. I have bladder problems too especially when I sneeze!
I have not had any bladder leakage issues yet but I’m sure they’re coming! I hear nothing but great things about Poise so I will definitely give them a try when it’s time!
My biggest battle scars are definitely the terrible stretch marks I gained, as well as the weight. I am working on losing weight… if only there was a fix for the stretch marks!
Oh girl! I have the stretch marks, have had the bladder problems…..but it is all part of being a Mom 🙂
Hmm, I guess I dont have any battle scars I can think of now but I would be proud of any!
I say all the time the stretch marks on my belly hips and legs are mine. I earned every single one.
I’m proud of the battle scars that I have from having my boys too. They are the very best things that have ever happened to me in my life.
Great post! You have a beautiful family and you look very happy. Family is everything.
Physically my biggest battle scars after having kids was the weight gain and I was never able to completely get back to where I was pre-pregnancy. I didn’t have the bladder leakage problem but I am expecting that will come with age. Great to know about this product.
Being a mother is really difficult and maybe that is also the reason why they say – mothers are tough – they’ve been through a lot and its a continuous thing, too.
Being a mom really is a difficult job, especially since there isn’t a guide about it.
The stretch marks and mostly the c-section scar!
Huh, I can relate to this so much, having had 4 children. Stretch marks, prolapsed uterus, saggy this and that, you name it, I have it! I think you and your whole family are beautiful!
Mine are definitely my stretch marks and my boobs. Thank goodness for clothes to cover them over and for great bras. 🙂
Mine are my stretch marks, I tend to have larger children so they really stretch my stomach out and it shows
I can completely relate to embracing our “battle scars” and loving ourselves. My first pregnancy I was in great shape and already had stretch marks from a previous large weight loss. This pregnancy, I started out heavier so the weight gain has effected me mentally. And I have new stretch marks which bother me more than I realize. But they are signs of the amazing life growing inside of me and I am truly blessed to be able to have children.
What a very frank look at having your beautiful babies. As someone with no children I guess I never think about things like this. Thanks for sharing.
What a beautiful post! Since having children I have to be protected while exercising… Bladder leakage at any time! Watch out! Nicely done!
I have four babies. My first did me in w/stretch marks. My MIL still says it’s my fault for not using cocoa butter and aloe diligently, but whateves. I wasn’t concerned then and I’m not now many years later. I don’t mind natural things like that, I guess. USUALLY. There are some other natural things (like gravity) that I could live without, but that’s another story for another day. 😉
I’m glad you accepted you mom battle scars and found new ways to love yourself. It’s true our bodies change after childbirth and work different. It’s ok. More women need to accept that
I don’t have any children so I don’t have any scars but from my perspective you should most definitely be proud of those scars as you say they brought three miracles into your life. 🙂 x
Our battle scars are badges of honor, don’t you think? The kids were totally worth every bit of it!
I have tons of bags under my eyes from not having a good nights sleep in years. It’s my mother hood battle scar.
I feel the same way! You have to be able to love yourself no matter what, because you children will see that strength and hopefully have that same strength when they get older. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t have kids yet, but these are great things to keep in mind when that time does come! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I have no children but age seems to do the same thing to your bladder. I will have to go out and buy Poise and see if they work as well as you say!
I have only met a couple people that go back to the way they were. I never pay attention to my stretch marks as they never bothered me. I do know several people who use poise, we are all runners and some have issues with the longer runs that we do.
oh my goodness, I was just thinking about this over the weekend as I had a nice sneeze attack and had to make a trip to change. 🙁 Oh man. I had no idea that the weak bladder continued YEARS after having kids. I have three kids, my body has sure change a lot. I am still trying to come to grips with some of those changes.
I definitely have the battle scars from being a mommy and I would have to say that the bladder problem is by far the worse! Especially when you are sick – coughing fits – may as well put me in a diaper! 🙂
Oy… I hate that I can’t go out for a run without emptying my bladder right before I walk out the door. And it never fails that 1/2 way through my run I’m running twice as fast back home to go to the bathroom again!
This is definitely a delicate issue. And having four children in the home, my wife had her share of accidents when pregnant.
She does however, focus alot on her body and has been diligent in getting back to her pre-first born weight.
My biggest scar is bladder problems after childbirth. Ugh…. it’s so frustrating to have these issues.
Beautifully written! I too have stretch-marks and a c-section scar and although minorly unsightly, I’m proud of them!
All three of your children are adorable! Especially your daughter – she looks fabulous in that red coat!
Happy to hear the Poise work well for your bladder leakage, nothing is worse than the feeling that your pants are wet. You have a beautiful family, battle scars and all.
In addition to what you discussed already, I think the biggest one I’ve had to deal with is, the hormonal/emotional roller coaster that I’ve never really gotten off of. My first pregnancy was fairly smooth and easy, but when my daughter was only 3 months old I was already pregnant again. So the cocktail of hormones floating around in my system, drove my emotions out of control it felt like. I can see major signs looking back of my panic disorder starting back then. Things have leveled out somewhat, but I still get mood swings, and I’m anxious much of the time.
My body is completely destroyed from having babies, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. And it really is unfair the way it’s portrayed in the movies and on tv. No one goes back to the way they were before.