Suppose you’re a mum who has recently given birth, congratulations! Now is the time to celebrate your newborn and appreciate all that your body has done over the last nine months. Unfortunately, coming to terms with how your body has changed after having a baby is easier said than done. But, the good news is, you are not alone. Many mums struggle with loving their body and all of the changes it endures during this time. Even if you don’t anticipate dealing with negative self-talk after giving birth, preparing yourself to love your post-baby body is a must. Here are five ways mums can love their post-baby body:
Focus Your Energy on Your Baby
While most, if not all, of your energy, will already be on your baby, try to stop any negative self-talk by replacing it with thoughts of your child. Being a mum is an incredible and exciting journey that your body image shouldn’t hold back. Every time you catch yourself staring a little bit too long in the mirror, or obsessing over a certain area of your body, go and hold your newborn. Though this tactic might not work every time, it will definitely help you cut out negative energy instead of focusing your time and thoughts on your new bundle of joy!
Wear Comfortable Clothing
Diving right back into the clothes you wore before you were pregnant is probably not your best plan of action. The reality is, trying on sizes that you know won’t fit will only lead to unproductive and negative thoughts. Instead, use your post-pregnancy body as an excuse to get a few new comfortable clothing items that will make you feel good as you relax with your newborn:
- Good Underwear: Mums that are just coming home from the hospital will want to do some research on the best postpartum underwear in case of any unexpected bodily discharge. Then in the coming weeks, size up and get yourself a few pairs of soft cotton panties as underwear like this will give your post-baby body room to breathe. Having non-restricting undergarments in your closet after giving birth is essential for feeling your best.
- Quality Pajamas: As you enjoy the first few months with your baby, you’re most likely going to want to wear pyjamas instead of jeans. Treat yourself to a set of quality pajamas that will give you some extra room to enjoy your newborn without feeling confined by your clothes.
- Oversized Sweats: While you probably already have a go-to pair of sweatpants, adding a sized up pair of women’s sweats to your wardrobe is a choice you won’t regret. Oversized sweats will give you the pant space you didn’t know you needed after giving birth.
- Ignore “Bounce-Back” Culture
Bounce-back culture is unfortunately quite prevalent nowadays. It makes mums feel as though they must immediately start working on their fitness post-baby, or do their best to look exactly like they did before they were pregnant. In reality, mums are not meant to “bounce back.” Accepting that your body has been changed forever in a beautiful way (that only other mums will understand) is one of the first steps to loving your post-baby body.
Beth Berry, a mum, writer, and life coach wrote this lovely letter to all women on why mums are not meant to “bounce back.” She explains, “But no matter how fit I become, I will always have the body of someone who has carried, birthed, and nursed four babies.” This is a powerful message that every mum can use as she works to accept her post-baby body.
Write Out Your Emotions
Getting in touch with your emotions might not be your favourite activity, but it can definitely help you work through accepting your body over time. Bullet journaling makes this process easier as you can add a simple mood tracker to your to-do list and markdown how your mood ranges each day. This is a good way to gauge how you’re feeling about your post-baby body and to see if certain self-love tactics have actually helped to improve your mood!
Each morning as you get dressed, track your emotions by adding how you feel to a mood tracker or simply writing down a few notes. On the days you take specific measures to stop negative thoughts in their tracks, add a check-mark to the chart. After a month of writing these emotions down, you’ll be able to look back on what has and has not worked for you, and hopefully, you’ll find it easier to give your body the love it deserves!
Finally, you can never go wrong with sharing your post-baby body experience online or with friends and family members who can relate. While there is always an exciting and beautiful side of pregnancy that gets shared on social media, the other side involves a struggle with body image. Feeling as though you’re alone in this experience can end up being very isolating and can lead to even more negative self-talk if not addressed. This is why sharing your experience through a Facebook post or even in a more intimate setting with a few other mum friends can truly serve to support your mental state. Don’t be afraid to speak up to your loved ones about how you’re feeling with your post-baby body, as chances are; they’ll have some advice to talk you through it!
Carrying a baby for nine months is something mums were designed for. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy on your body. As you work towards loving yourself and how you look post-baby, remember that you are a warrior. All mums share a strength that is strong enough to birth to a child and overcome a negative body image.
