America’s Next Top Plus-Sized Model?
The little gal they have pictured in the story is so seriously malnourished I doubt she is even menstruating, much less has the structural integrity to carry a baby to term and/or enough fat on her body to produce even a drop of breastmilk.
I hope one of those plus size models wins the top model contest. It would send a positive message to our young women.
I have always been plus size, averaging 140 – 190 pounds during my teens and was a size 16 and 170 pounds on my wedding day.
I also have always exercised and in 1999 had a complete analysis of my lean body mass which (after eight years of non-stop breastfeeding), was 190 pounds. Yes, it is true, my bones, muscle, and body mass, sans fat, was 190 pounds of hard tissue. I’m not claiming that my body type is ideal or even what women who want to make healthy babies should aspire to, but it is evidence to me that for us full bodied types, to try to reach even a supposedly “healthy” 160 pounds while nursing our babes may not be what is normal for us.

Jenny Hatch with our family one week after Benjamin was born. Sporting my post partum boobs and belly. He was a nine and a half pound bruiser with a 15 and 1/4 inch head. The breastmilk flowed like rich cream from my huge lactating 270 lb. body!
I have comfortably and easily nursed my hungry boys while packing 240 to 290 pounds on my body. My chiropractor has told me that I have the largest bone structure of any women in his practice (based on the width of my wrist). And for many of the women in my aquaintance who are nursing full speed ahead, no bottles, no supplemental foods, they look quite a bit like me. And we all agree that cooking and eating is our favorite pastime…no apologies…..
Jenny Hatch
PS And I love Tyra Banks, what a great roll model for our girls, beautiful and buxom to boot!