Dana Cherise Brown (29) and Malachi (1 month)
Columbia, MO
“I've had one unconfirmed miscarriage, after I was sexually assaulted at 19. My son is a huge surprise to me because I was diagnosed with subpar fertility due to PCOS at 27, and I was told that I would require medical intervention(s) to conceive."
How has parenthood impacted your body image?
I've struggled with loving my body since I was 10. That age was when I first felt the pressure to be thin and conventionally attractive. Throughout my adolescence and early adulthood, cycles of disordered eating, overexercise, depression, and attempts at healthy maintenance have dragged my frame from a rail-thin 135 pounds to a swollen 225 pounds. I'm currently somewhere around 250 pounds at 4 weeks postpartum, which is medically obese. Loving my body right now is one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it's made easier by focusing on its achievements. However "imperfect" it is, it has grown and nourished the love of my life...and I can't hate it anymore because of that.
What was your postpartum experience?
I'm only a month postpartum, so I feel as though I'm still in the thick of it. I thought that the weight would just drop off of me after I gave birth, but I'm finding that's not the case. My body continues to be a source of internal conflict to me. I am fighting feelings of inadequacy for not "snapping back" and having new, prominent skin decorations in the form of dark purple stretch marks. Yet, at the same time, I'm still in awe that my body housed and birthed the most perfect, tiny little human I've ever seen.
What is your truth?
My truth is this: bodies are temporary, in all their forms. I'm fighting to love myself and the way I look now everyday, but ultimately, my body is worth more than the way it looks.
Why did you choose to participate in this movement and share your story?
I wanted to feel empowered after decades of feeling less than, and I wanted to show others like me that our bodies don't have to be considered beautiful by society to do something beautiful.