• Galleries
    • 4th Tri Bodies Gallery
    • my body. my choice. my voice. Gallery
    • I'M Visible Gallery
  • Events / Participate
    • Tour Schedule
    • Event Schedule
    • Participate
    • FAQ
    • Previous Cities
  • About
    • Mission
    • Ashlee Dean Wells
    • Laura Weetzie Wilson
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Conferences
    • body. breast. baby.
    • Portland, OR
    • Chicago, IL
  • Book a Session
  • Buy Merch
  • Contact
  • Mailing List
  • Media
  • Sponsors
  • Menu

4th Trimester Bodies Project

  • Galleries
    • 4th Tri Bodies Gallery
    • my body. my choice. my voice. Gallery
    • I'M Visible Gallery
  • Events / Participate
    • Tour Schedule
    • Event Schedule
    • Participate
    • FAQ
    • Previous Cities
  • About
    • Mission
    • Ashlee Dean Wells
    • Laura Weetzie Wilson
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Conferences
    • body. breast. baby.
    • Portland, OR
    • Chicago, IL
  • Book a Session
  • Buy Merch
  • Contact
  • Mailing List
  • Media
  • Sponsors
_MG_2410 copy.jpg

Jenna Patterson

February 12, 2018 in 4th Trimester Bodies

Jenna Patterson (31), Jaya (2) years and Jamesey (6 weeks)

Photographed in Portland, Oregon

Jenna shares - 

"I have always struggled with negative body image. From a young age I felt "fat" and unworthy. My relationship with my body has been mostly negative with constant dieting and belittling myself for the bit of extra weight I carried. Motherhood has improved my body image greatly. I am in awe of my body's ability to grow, birth, and nourish my two children. The female body is a remarkable thing!

I struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of my daughter. I think a lot of it had to do with a lack of confidence in myself. I questioned everything from co-sleeping to nursing. My experience the second time around has been drastically different as I have learned to trust my intuition and maternal instinct. I was meant to do this.

I want all to question the cultural narrative regarding birth. Your body is not something broken that needs to be fixed. Birth is a beautiful and natural process.

I believe that women's worth should go beyond their physical appearance. As a society we need to stop putting such an emphasis on losing the "baby weight" and instead bask in the beauty and selflessness that is motherhood." 

Tags: Seattle, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum, 4th Trimester, Body Image
Prev / Next
  • March 2018 20
  • February 2018 8
  • January 2018 6
  • December 2017 22
  • October 2017 13
  • September 2017 26
  • August 2017 19
  • July 2017 17
  • June 2017 7
  • May 2017 10
  • April 2017 2
  • February 2017 1
  • January 2017 25
  • December 2016 2
  • November 2016 17
  • October 2016 17
  • September 2016 38
  • August 2016 14
  • July 2016 26
  • June 2016 33
  • May 2016 16
  • April 2016 33
  • March 2016 28
  • February 2016 20
  • January 2016 26
  • December 2015 30
  • November 2015 30
  • October 2015 49
  • September 2015 23
  • August 2015 34
  • July 2015 25
  • June 2015 51
  • May 2015 29
  • April 2015 40
  • March 2015 35
  • February 2015 75
  • January 2015 53
  • December 2014 32
  • November 2014 47
  • October 2014 46
  • September 2014 54
  • August 2014 45
  • July 2014 65
  • June 2014 50
  • May 2014 22
  • April 2014 43
  • March 2014 74
  • February 2014 46
  • January 2014 34
  • December 2013 9
  • November 2013 20
  • October 2013 39
  • September 2013 22
  • August 2013 31
  • July 2013 3
  • June 2013 6