It’s no surprise that having children will change your body. For me personally, this meant walking into the hospital to deliver David, about 40 pounds heavier than when I started my pregnancy. It also meant leaving the hospital with a little more than a 7lb 7oz baby on my hip… err hips.
The day I got home from the hospital with David, I hadn’t even lost the 7lb 7oz that he had weighed. <<< They don’t tell you about that part.. do they? Because of the water weight from all of the IV fluids they had pumped into me, I had barely lost 5 pounds the day after delivery. Then, a couple days later, my milk came in. My boobs swelled up to the size of melons, and as I sat hunched over on my bed breastfeeding my newborn infant, I distinctly remember staring at my stomach – spilling over the top of my pajama pants – thinking to myself, “God – I still look 7 months pregnant.”
Hurriedly, I put the thought out of my head. I kept reminding myself “It takes nine months to put it on… it’s not going to go away in a day.”
Nevertheless – every day I would find something new to beat myself up over. “My boobs are sagging. My belly button skin is wrinkled. My linea nigra is STILL not gone. My melasma is raging. My hips are HUGE.” On and on and on. And the stretch marks I found on Day 5 after David was born. Din’t even get me started. Four red, spidery, vertical reminders of my second pregnancy – permanently emblazoned on my right but cheek. You guys… you should have seen me that day. I ran around the house in my huge hospital butt underwear, to three different mirrors, to make sure I had seen them correctly. As it turns out, I had. I then called countless medical spas to see what they could do for me. Crazy? For sure.
As you can see… after bringing David home, I was very much in the throes of lamenting my “Mom Bod”.
Then one night, I was sitting in bed – breastfeeding – as I usually am these days, and my mind began to wander. What if… instead of being critical of every mark, every pound, and every part of me that would never be the same… what if, instead, I decided to look at all these changes as small miracles that led to my children?
- Instead of crying that I still can’t fit into my pre-baby jeans, what if I decide to celebrate the hips that brought my children into this world, and just buy the bigger size?
- Instead of trying to cram my milk filled, double D boobs into one of my old strappy camis… what if I choose to wear an amazing flowy top (like the one you see in these photos by Jack x BB Dakota)? A top that allows me to feel amazing – AND feed my child – AND still look sexy.
- Instead of lamenting the wrinkly skin above my belly button… what if I fondly remember that this is the same skin that was stretched to it’s limits in order to house my beautiful, healthy boys — for NINE months.
- Instead of freaking out about trying clothes on at the mall… and having a breakdown in the dressing room… what if I just order clothes (with next day shipping) from one of my favorite online retailers? In this case, Zappos. Then I can have a dance party celebrating my Mom-Bod – as I try clothes on in the comfort of my own home. That sounds SO much better to me. Plus – if something doesn’t fit – Zappos’ return policy and customer service is AMAZING FYI !
- Instead of being SO critical of myself… what if I just give myself a little grace? What if we all give ourselves a little grace?
Do I love my stretch marks? No, I don’t. Do I love my huge, milk filled, Double D boobs? No, I don’t. Do I love the wrinkled skin above my belly button? No, I don’t. But I am learning to. All of these things are a part of me now, and my two incredible children wouldn’t be here without them. In fact, when I think about the aggregate of all these wrinkles, marks, and scars – I’m starting to feel more like Super Woman than anything else – and that, my friends, is a huge step in the right direction. I am slowly, but surely, learning to love my Mom-Bod.
PS: Sometimes the perfect piece of clothing can help to put everything in perspective – at least it can for me – and this shirt by Jack x BB Dakota has helped turn my Mom-Bod loathing world around. If you’re as obsessed with it as I am… it’s under $50 head >>> HERE. Size wise… I am wearing a size M in these photos but I easily could have gotten the Small.
*** A huge thank you to Zappos and Jack By BB Dakota for sponsoring this post, for believing in us, and for helping me love my Mom-Bod.
