Body After Baby

“Bounce back”, what a bizarre term to use in relation to a human being’s body or being. However, across the globe women are frequently encouraged to “bounce back” after bringing their beautiful littles into the world. Carrying through pregnancy the burden of discussion with quips like “make sure you lose the weight later!” or subtle mentions of how big they have gotten. It’s an absolutely strange idea to comprehend that those around a woman are more concerned about what her body looks like now that she is a mother, as opposed to how she is feeling during this transformative time.

Motherhood is by far one of the greatest transitions one can ever experience. The journey provides shifts in your physical self, your emotional well being, your utter soul. You say goodbye to the person that you once used to be and you take on the emotional and physical needs of another human being. To then be told that your body is no longer good enough, while in the midst of such a deep crisis of sorts, is it any wonder that so many women suffer from postpartum depression?

So, how can you drown out the noise and allow negative feelings about your post baby body to not overtake your mind?

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Process What You Just Did

You just had a baby. Let that completely sink in, let it really register. You created life, and bought life into this world; it’s a miracle if there ever was one. Don’t belittle that experience as something run of the mill, it truly isn’t. This is a special moment in your life and your body has accomplished something incredible. Allow yourself to really appreciate that and give your body time to heal.

Leave The Pre Pregnancy Wear In The Closet

Don’t try on your pre pregnancy clothes soon after delivery, in fact wait a solid couple of months. It took you nine months to create this life and for your body to change from the inside out. Don’t set yourself up for struggle by trying to get back into clothes that aren’t designed to fit your body right now.

Throw Away The Scale

Maybe not literally, but put aside any triggering items that encourage you to check in on your body. This can include the weighing scale, tape measure, mirrors. Anything that pushes you towards the negative mindset of “why does my body look like this?”.

Recognise That You Have To Eat

You have been through such a massive transition in your life, you are possibly nursing, and recovering during one of a stressful time; now is not the time to diet. Fuel your body well with nutritionally dense foods that hopefully encourage lactation and allow you to serve your child and your recovery to the best of your ability.

Photo by Jannis Brandt on Unsplash

Adjust Your Mindset

This goes back to point number one, but it bears repeating. Your body was designed to accomplish this task and it has the ability to heal through this process; it simply needs time. Recognise that and trust the process. Don’t look at yourself in the mirror and think “why is my tummy like this after my delivery?” think “my body is taking its time to heal and will find its way forward”.

Come To Terms

There is a truth that we must all face as mothers at some point. Some of us will face such physical change as the entire internal structure of our bodies shifting during pregnancy, and in some cases you never quite get back to what your body was before you got pregnant.

Take a second and breathe through that.

It doesn’t mean that you’re being challenged, or you need to forget all the points mentioned above, but eventually building an acceptance of your new normal and looking at how to move forward in a healthy and strong manner, rather than how to go back, may be in your best interest.

Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash

Ultimately, recognise this very valid truth, you have been on an amazing journey and you are entering a new chapter in your life. It’s the beginning of an entirely new season and things may not look the same as they did before, you may not look the same as you did before, but that doesn’t mean that this season won’t be just as incredible as the one before.

Quiet down the negative voices, look for support from your partner, your peers, your loved ones and encourage them to speak to you in a positive manner about your body.

How would you help a loved one through their journey with body after baby? Tell me in the comments.