Kaylan Shen (33 - currently 20 weeks pregnant), and Cora (3)
Frederick, MD | Photographed in Richmond, VA
Kaylan shares -
"{Parenthood} has definitely had a positive impact on my body image. I've always been fat. I tried to hide it by the way I dressed, even though that is basically impossible. Other than that, I never really thought about my body as being amazing in any way. After I had my daughter, I realized what a miracle it is that a woman's body can grow a baby and bring it into this world. I was so proud of my own body for doing just that. For most of my prenatal care, I felt like being "plus-size" was a disadvantage, and that it would be very difficult for me to have the natural birth I wanted. However, I believed in myself and was able to achieve exactly what I wanted. I had never been more proud of my body. I wore my first bikini the summer after my daughter was born. I didn't care what people thought. My body had done something amazing and I was proud of it. That feeling has started to fade, but I am carrying another child now and hoping to have another natural birth.
I felt like motherhood came naturally to me. I had my mother stay with me for a week but I ended up not really needing her for much, as I figured out how to do things on my own. I struggled with breastfeeding for the first few weeks, but once I was confident in my body's ability to provide exactly what my daughter needed, I stopped struggling. Luckily, I had great support in my spouse and both of our families, as well as multiple FaceBook breastfeeding support groups. I didn't quite realize that a newborn literally needs you 24/7, so it was hard to adjust to always having a pile of dishes in the sink or a never ending load of laundry, but it became easier as my daughter grew older and I developed more of a routine.
Listen to your instincts. Don't think you have to do things a certain way because so-and-so told you that or you read it in a book. All babies are different. You are the expert on your baby.
I thought this project was amazing when I first saw it. Women need to see what bodies look like so they don't have an unrealistic expectation that makes them feel bad about themselves. I wanted to participate so all body types are seen. I think it will be outside of my comfort zone, but doing those things helps you grow as a person!"