Katie Mendoza (31), Sofia (4), Madrid, and Lucia (twins - 1.5)
Photographed in Portland, OR
Katie shares -
"Everything about my body has changed, especially after the twins were born. I walk a fine line every day between mourning my body from before and all the scars it has now and feeling empowered by what my body has given life to. I feel grateful for what it has given and the beauty in it but society doesn't feel the same way.
My first daughter was a breeze. The birth went nothing like planned but after she arrived she was such an easy baby. I carried her everywhere, wore her in a front pack to work, took her everywhere and it was incredible. There is nothing like the first born and being able to give all your attention to them.
When I found out I was pregnant with twins I laughed so hard I cried. Then I continued crying for the next year and a half. I felt a lot of mixed emotions about having two babies at once. The birth itself was an incredible experience and it was so much smoother than my first birth. Once they arrived though I found myself completely overwhelmed, with postpartum depression, and when they were 9 months old divorcing from my husband of 9 years.
I found myself a single mama of 3 kids under 4 and as a stay at home mom I was in a tough position. Since finding out about the twins it has been a struggle, from a difficult pregnancy to everything that happened their first year of life within our family. I am finally at a point now that they are 19 months old that I am being able to enjoy them and see the incredible blessing they are.
You are beautiful and strong and an incredible mama who knows your babies best. You are right where you are supposed to be, pause and enjoy it.
The pictures are incredible, the stories are incredible and when I see the pictures of other women's postpartum bodies all I see is beauty and strength and I want to see and feel that in myself.