Society frequently forgets that children aren't the only products of pregnancy. Often, the process leaves permanent marks, including bumps, stretch marks, and even scars. For Desiree Fortin, who gave birth to triplets, this is something she struggles with every day. In a photoshoot and accompanying blog post, the mother opened up about her struggle to accept her post-pregnancy body, as well as why she wants to accept her scars for exactly what they are.
"Recently, I was genuinely congratulated, twice in one week, on my 'baby bump.' I am not pregnant," the post begins. "However, I do have a little left over postpartum pooch, but I have always felt amazing and proud of my body after having my triplets; what I went through to bring them into this world, and the scars that represent my story."
The leftover skin caused her to start questioning her worth and appearance. "Was I really proud of the wounds left behind on my stomach after carrying and delivering my triplets?" she asked. "Was I really beautiful? Do I really appreciate the fact that these scars represent the miracle of life? Did I truly understand the value of my hope wounds?"
The answer is yes. While the scars mean her body doesn't look like the traditional pictures you see of women in the media, they're a reminder of something so much more important — not just of her triplets, but what she went through to birth them.
For instance, after the pregnancy, Fortin went through some "pretty dark days." Sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, all these things were sometimes too much to handle, but the scars are reminders of why it was worth it.
"The more I thought about my postpartum 'baby bump,' my little pooch, my saggy muffin top, the wrinkles and the scars; the more I couldn’t stop thinking about my hope triplets. I would choose my hope wounds over and over again," Fortin writes. "I wouldn’t trade my story for anything."