Loving yourself after Baby....

Baby is here !!! Oh my gosh, how I remember this moment like it was yesterday. The day I gave birth plays in my mind over and over again. Whether you had a vaginal birth or a C-section, from this life changing moment on you will never forget this experience. 

Some of you may be at the point after baby came to start worrying about getting your "pre-baby" body back in moments notice. You may have even started worrying about your body and how it will look after baby during pregnancy. If you haven't read my blog post on "Loving yourself while growing a miracle" I encourage you to do so. 

So why are we SO concerned on what were going to look like after the baby? Take a moment and ask yourself this, "Why am I worried about my post-baby body?" What did you come up with? I would love to hear your thoughts, so please comment at the end of this blog. Below, I share some things I personally think may influence your desire to have the "perfect" post baby body. 

• Society- Just like in everyday non-pregnant life, society portrays this image that everyone must be thin and eat "healthy". After baby society portrays, you better lose that baby weight quicker than it came on. Side note- Don't forget you were pregnant for almost 10 months, you didn't gain weight in one day, right? Yes, a certain percent is placenta, baby, fluids etc. So, I guess some weight does come off automatically.  But wait a sec, most Hollywood stars leave the hospital in their pre-pregnancy jeans/clothes or looking better than they did before baby. What about Royalty, Kate Middleton- please don't think this is real life !  Social media was buzzing about her post baby picture. These are very unrealistic standards to hold yourself to. 
• Social Media- Facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat, etc... These platforms are a breeding ground for irrational, negative and unrealistic messages when it comes to body image and self love before, during and after pregnancy. Not all social media, there are a lot of good and positives about social media and messaging. Unfortunately, there tends to be more shaming on social media than encouraging. You may or may not already be " shaming". Why do you need to show the world your post baby body? Take a moment and ask yourself that. Is it so you can feel better? Instead of posting looking for others to comment to make you feel better, take a peek down at your baby. Isn't just having a beautiful miracle enough?   Posting things such as that, may be contributing to societies screwed up messages on how a woman should look before, during and after pregnancy. You may be posting your post pregnancy body because you see other woman doing the same. Be the change you would want for your children, put a stop to societies unhealthy messaging. Or just post that beautiful baby, because who doesn't love pictures of babies :)
• Family influence- You may have mom, sisters, brothers or even your significant other making comments about your weight after baby (or before baby). Why? I cannot answer this for each person but you can ask them why they are commenting on your weight post baby. If you are too low of a weight after baby, they may be concerned for your health or if you have significant underlying health conditions. Other than that I personally think commenting on the moms weight post baby or during pregnancy is completely irrelevant and could be very hurtful. Instead ask your friends and family to just ask you how you are feeling. Especially in the beginning of bringing baby home- when things are crazy ! 
• Your feelings and thought about your body and weight prior to pregnancy-  some of this very well could be related to all three of the above bullet points (plus more). I can relate, I was there. I used to be very unhappy with my body for most of my adolescent and adult years before I conceived. All 3 points above HAD a significant impact on my thoughts toward my body. If possible it is important to work on healing your relationship with your body and food prior to pregnancy. Also, not a bad idea to unfollow people/celebs that encourage unhealthy messaging and start filling your feed with positive and empowering messaging. 

I share one of the most personal pictures above with you all because THIS is the meaning of pregnancy, a baby. For first time moms, its also going from Woman to Mother. This is the reason you should want to be your best self and be 100% fully present for this little baby that grows oh so quickly. Don't cloud your thoughts with worrying about your post baby body, your going to miss out on whats right in front of you. Your baby wants a mommy who loves them and a mommy who loves herself. Also, baby doesn't question his or her hunger, they just eat. Please do the same. One more time, ask yourself... Why am I worried about my weight? If you came up with health reasons, weight may be a concern.  If not, let it go and come back to the moment with your baby. Not to mention, do you really want to add one more stressful thing onto your already life changing journey. Your hormones are flying across the room, your learning something new and maybe even nursing for the first time (which is another job in itself). For me, all of that was enough to handle. I couldn't possibly add one more thing to my plate to worry about and I encourage you not to either. You are beautiful and no body loves you more than your bundle of joy. 

Be kind to yourself, it took you almost 10 months to grow a miracle and the only thing that should be of concern is your mental health/well being and baby's well-being and nourishment. Don't miss out on the most important precious moments, as you will never get this time back. Be the change you want to see in your children!
​So much love to you all- I know this isn't easy XO !

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