Why Ali Fedotowsky-Manno Feels "Grateful" for Her "Flap of Loose Skin" 1 Year After Giving Birth
In her caption, the mother of three — who welcomed her youngest child, daughter Dove, in late February — admitted it has "taken years of work" for her to "feel comfy enough to head to a beach day and only think about the good times I'll be having with the kiddos, rather than things not fully in my control."
"And even so, I can snap a pic feeling confident in my bikini but the reality is the stretch marks and loose skin are there," she continued. "I've learned to love and embrace them because they tell my story."
"So today, I am heading to the beach feeling good about myself because that's the only way it should be. With lots of SPF and Truly's of course!" the Bravo star concluded.
Mellencamp Arroyave (who also shares son Cruz, 6 on Friday, and daughter Slate, 7½, with husband Edwin Arroyave) previously shared her "postpartum reality" in terms of her body and day-to-day routine three days after giving birth to Dove, posting a photo of herself in a black bra and underwear to her Instagram feed.
Amid the "unbelievable, unconditional love" for Mellencamp Arroyave's baby girl included challenges like "very little sleep" and "knowing that feeling delirious will be the new norm for a while," as well as "lots of laughs when Cruz asks why my stomach hasn't deflated."
"It is a flood of emotions when multiple lactation specialists tell you that only your right breast is able to breast feed the baby due to scarring on the left," wrote the mom of three. "It is trying to calm your mind when you are continuously running all the hypotheticals of every scenario in your head. It is a constant reminder to live in the moment and feel all the highs and lows that a new baby brings. It is the simultaneous notion of wanting to slow down while still feeling the need to rearrange and organize the entire house."
"It is doing your best to not compare your journey to anyone else's," she added. "It is overwhelming gratitude for each friend and family member who shows up without judgement, only to bring you love & food. It is a constant roller coaster & I wouldn't change it for the world."
Mellencamp Arroyave concluded, "My baby girl is here and I love her more than words can say. We each have our own journey and this is mine."
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