I'm sorry that you are so afraid of it.

This is just me thinking out loud, but I wonder if attitudes would be different if we didn't idolize thin, fit bodies so much in the media. We attach so much value to body type amd looks. Women's bellies stretch to fit babies. They don't always stretch back. Boobs deflate. Some people's bodies bounce back wonderfully. Mine didn't, and I don't really care. I am 40, love my laugh lines, and my stretch marks. My size and weight are the consequences of my actions. Yours would be too. When I was pregnant, I wasn't horrified by what happened to my body. I was so elated by what was happening to me that I seemed oblivious to it all. I know not everyone feels that way, so I a fortunate that I was happy about it. The stretch marks faded and are translucent. It's ok that some people think I've let myself go to shit.

So much money is spent on wrinkle treatments, topical or plastic surgery. Hair dye to cover up the grays. Lots of makeup. Some people are such slaves to fashion.

Please don't take this the wrong way, because this is merely my curiosity asking. Do you view people differently if they don't look like the media standard? Do you place higher value on yourself if you do?

I always thought the media standard was quite mysongenistic and unrealistic. I think it applies to mothers' bodies too.