Adjusting to my new body after my baby was hard. For me, the recovery of child birth was actually a lot harder than the labor and delivery. First off, I still looked pregnant. For a while. I have just delivered the baby living inside me, and my stomach was still poofed out like I was 8 months pregnant! (I know, some blogs say 6 months. Or 4. For me, it was 8. I mean hell it looked like there was another full term kid in there).
It was really hard to emotionally adjust to clothes not fitting, and things not looking right. My hips were already wide before I was pregnant. Did they really need to get that much larger?! On top of the emotions, I couldn’t sit without pain for weeks. Peanut was probably a month old before my behind actually felt decent enough to sit down without wincing, or pee without constantly squirting that little bottle in my nether-region. (Ladies, take that squirt bottle they give you and don’t look back. It’s fabulous).
So on top of being emotional, still appearing pregnant, and having a really sore bottom…let’s add two more things: stretch marks and squishiness. My mom didn’t get stretch marks with me, and I thought they were genetic. BOY, WAS I WRONG. Lucky mom, not one freakin stretch mark. Me, stretch marks all up and down my sides, and then in my 38th week of pregnancy, marks in the middle of my stomach. Right on either side of my linea negra. Yes. I had that. I STILL have it, almost 6 months later. And the squishiness!! My stomach felt like just a massive blob of jello!
I’m realizing I’m not quite selling the pregnancy thing, and this post is technically about loving your postpartum body…..It sounds terrible, but trust me, it’s amazing. One of the things that helped me shed the baby weight and feel a lot better about myself is actually really easy to use. I used 3 of the Bellefit girdles, starting with the day I walked out of the hospital. I started in an XL size, and was down to a medium in a month. I wore it day in and day out for those 4 weeks straight, and then 2 more weeks at night. I loved how it held my stomach in, and it really helped support my back. I remember telling a friend that I just felt like it was the missing piece to the puzzle of feeling put back together. I would definitely recommend using something like that. There are many brands, and they’re a bit of an investment, but trust me…WORTH IT! I got mine used, so I paid about half, and washed them beforehand.
The other thing that helped me, was sticking to a very strict diet after I had to give up on breastfeeding and pumping. I mentioned this in my weight loss post, but my breastfeeding journey was sad, and still very raw and upsetting to me. I couldn’t produce enough, no matter what I did, and I shed so many tears about it. Once it was given up, I knew I needed to make my way back to the weight I was at before I got pregnant. It was just a personal goal, and I started eating a low carb diet, which helped me get there. Now that my daughter is almost 6 months, I’m below my pre-pregnancy weight, and I actually really like my new body, for these three reasons:
- I never need to consider taping my boobs together for cleavage. Turns out, my boobs saggy boobs are bigger and more perfect for being squashed together to make some nice cleavage with the right bra!!!!
- These stretch marks remind me of my daughter. Ok, I could do without the persistent line on my belly button that won’t go away, but these stretch marks? I honestly don’t mind them. They remind me of my daughter, and how she needed me to grow, and when my stomach wasn’t growing enough, she just ripped her way through!!!
- My body actually did something amazing. I’m not counting the fact that it sustained me for 29 years…no biggie there, clearly. But it CREATED another life! I’m so mesmerized by this. My husband and I made this person. So many times during the day I just look at her and can’t believe it. And I did it. Me. (Yes, and him…) But it’s honestly amazing to think about, and the feeling is incredible.
If you just had a baby and are feeling the same way I did, just take some deep breaths, and know that you won’t always feel frustrated or discouraged with your body, or yourself. Take time for yourself, in the midst of all the chaos. Get yourself a massage, a manicure, or buy yourself something you normally wouldn’t. Relish in the tiny wins–a piece of chocolate, a hot cup of tea, or maybe a nice foot rub from your significant other!! Either way, remember your body did something amazing, and you should be proud of it!!
* My maternity photos were done courtesy of Eric Sorenson, of Eric Sorenson Photography
If you like it, pin it!
