Stretch marks, sagging boobs, weight gain, wider hips...oh how our bodies change after baby! I know mine did, a lot! And oh how I have struggled with this.
Little back story...I was always thin and athletic. I was told 3,000 times that I would bounce right back after having a baby. And I listened! I really thought I would. No one told me the possibility of not bouncing back. Of gaining 55 pounds. Having stretch marks on my stomach and boobs so badly it looks like I was attacked by a wild animal. And no one told me the struggle that all of this would bring. Mentally, physically or emotionally.
Is this a scary thing to write about? Heck ya! But I want to because I believe that all moms to be should be prepared for the good and the bad of motherhood. I know that some mommas embrace their bodies that have drastically changed. I applaud you for that. But I can tell you that I'm not quite there yet, even though I try to be. I may never be 100% ok with it. Maybe that doesn't sit well with some but I know there are a ton of ladies out there that feel the same.
Yes, I feel proud that I carried a child for 10 months, had an emergency cesarean and gave birth to an amazing little boy. So a part of me is ok with how my body has changed because I would never give up my stretch marks if that meant not having him.
But...that also doesn't mean that it doesn't bother me. That I don't try every cream, home remedy, or method out there to try and fix things. That I don't try to eat right and workout as much as I can to lose my last 15 pounds. It's hard, he's 2 and I never thought I would still be trying to get back into shape. To lose that double chin. I thought I would get cleared to work out and go hard. Get my body back by the time he was 6 months old. I was very wrong. A lot of women can do this. But this wasn't in the cards for me. Has my confidence been affected at times, of course. Has it made me cry, yep! Do I wish I could wave a magic wand and get rid of the things I don't like? Haha, doesn't everyone? Good news is, I'm still who I was before. The same strong, sassy, way too honest person I've always been. Maybe a tiny bit better. You won't see my head hanging low because of my body, that's for damn sure. And yours shouldn't either, I hope it doesn't.
My goal in writing this isn't to scare you or make you sad. It's to make soon to be moms aware and to offer some comfort to those struggling now. I read a quote today and it said "I am beautiful just the way I am. I am worthy. I am valuable." It really spoke to me. I might not be where I once was, I may never be. But I'm going to keep trying to get where I feel comfortable again. And the rest of it I will have to deal with and one day my hope is to be totally ok with what has been created since having my little one.
My goal here is that you will be mentally prepared for what happens after you have your baby. For what you might not have expected or planned for. It's better to be prepared for the possibility of something rather than be upset because you never thought it would happen. And with all of that said, my baby brings me way more happiness than my body makes me sad. So I will keep trucking along with my eating, working out and creams. But in-between that, I am one incredibly happy and thankful momma! Beyond grateful that my baby was given to me and so, so blessed!
Jordan Trueba - Fired Up Social
