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Major networks and news stations have erupted once again with headlines featuring Serena Williams. Lately it seems that Williams isn’t being recognized and distinguished for her impressive list of accomplishments from a remarkable tennis career. Instead the focus has been on something that has and will continue to dominate and crush the minds of those who do not fit the mold of the ideal body type that society perceives as beautiful, attractive, and feminine—her physique. Serena Williams is strong, powerful and fierce. She is muscular, incredibly athletic, and passionate. She has demanded respect on the tennis court by her impressive accomplishments, and has established herselfRead More →

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I was talking to a friend the other day about someone we know who may be “trying to get pregnant.” Her look of disappointment made me think she was hinting that they were struggling to conceive. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know one of her biggest fears in life is not being able to successfully carry a child. After I shared this with my friend, she answered, “Doesn’t every woman feel that way?” Though there may be several valid reasons for a woman to be concerned or worried about being able to get pregnant, my friend was right—everyRead More →

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Growing up, I was always told to never ask a woman if she is pregnant. And, to drill it even more in my head, it was emphasized that even if I am 99.9% sure she is expecting, I still should not ask. I am now a mother of three children. Therefore, here are a few reasons why (and I will leave out the fact that I have publicized my struggles with body, diet, and exercise, and my past eating disorder). I have held on tight to a ride that was wilder than any roller coaster that exists. I had felt a “sinking feeling” in the pitRead More →

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My phone rang tonight, and I pulled it out to see who it was, and it was a very close friend. She was calling at an odd time, so something about that made me answer (admittedly, I ignore phone calls too many times). Before I got a word out, she blurted out, “I’m on the way to the hospital. I am bleeding.” She is just over ten weeks pregnant. And, it brought back so many vivid memories of pregnancy… of which I somehow survived three of them. Trust me. I do see it from the perspective of someone who may be struggling with infertility. ThatRead More →

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“I still haven’t lost my baby weight.” The famous words I’ve grown to hear so many women say. And I’m not talking about just women who delivered months prior, or even just a couple years. I’m talking about women who have grown children.  Even as a young girl, I believed that some women’s bodies are just not made to bounce back to form after having babies, and some are blessed to appear as if their stomachs never stretched out to Timbuktu, or some even smaller than pre-pregnancy. And, I always hoped and prayed that when it was my time, I wouldn’t be one walking aroundRead More →

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When I met my husband almost eight years ago, I had just turned twenty five years old. It happened to have been in June when I am usually my tannest, thinnest, and most fit. Early in the summers I tend to feel more motivated to go for extensive walks and runs.. especially at that time when I was single. Also at that time, I didn’t have any wrinkles, and, in fact, my skin was perfect. If I had one zit pop up, it was the end of the world. My hair was its brunette color with natural red highlights from the sun, and had no signs ofRead More →

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As we watched Bachelor in Paradise tonight on our DVR, I watched my stomach move like a roller coaster. The sensation is one thing, but to see it is another. So, of course, I paused the show and said to my husband, “Oh my goodness. Just watch this for a second. It’s wild.” And, then, I felt a limb bulge out on my side, and it created a distorted shape in my abdomen. My shirt crept up, and I revealed my bare stomach to him. One reason was to show him the crazy movements the baby was making, and the other was to just stareRead More →

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As I lie here at 34 weeks pregnant, I have several mixed emotions. Each day this far along into pregnancy, I think to myself how much I am ready to be done feeling this uncomfortable, and how anxious I am to meet this little person that has grown inside of me over the last several months. I wish time away. I can feel my irritability, impatience, and tension building up, and am about to burst. I have always struggled to wait for things. I struggle to cherish the current situation. And, mostly, I struggle to cope with something so out of my control. Pregnancy isRead More →

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I was way too tired to cook dinner for my family, and I couldn’t make a decision as to what I wanted to eat anyway. As a matter of fact, I struggled to make a decision about anything at the time. So, when my husband walked in the door from a long day at work, my stomach communicated exactly what I desired: the dingy barbecue place by our old house (now 25 minutes away.) No question it was one of his favorites, so when I explained I was leaving to go pick up turkey sandwiches, French fries, Cole slaw, and pickles, he just looked atRead More →

Erin Konheim Mandras - What Not to Say to New Moms

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I did it. I said the worst thing anyone could have ever said to me after giving birth to a baby. Though I still like to believe my comment was excusable, it falls under the category of guilty when it comes to pregnancy and post-baby etiquette. As a woman who has gone through two pregnancies, I can’t help but notice other women who are pregnant. They always look so great to me, and seem to be glowing beautifully. So, I have watched a mom at my kids preschool through her entire pregnancy. Three weeks ago, I ran into her at my OBGYN appointment, and we hadRead More →