Loving My Body After Having A Baby
I love my daughter, but learning to love my body after having a baby was something that I had to do since it was my body that brought her into this world.
And I thought my body going through puberty was a crisis in itself when I was a teenager,
Boy oh boy was I wrong.
As a woman, I feel like we just can’t catch a break when it comes to our bodies.
First, we have to deal with puberty and all that comes with it such as achy boobs and menstruation.
And then we are the ones who get pregnant and have to carry the baby in our body for nine months
And then we have to deal with the aftermath once we give birth.
You would think that once the baby gets here, everything should just go back to normal and be like how it was before?
As many of us have discovered, this is not always the case.
Throughout pregnancy, we start to notice some of the changes that are already beginning to happen such as larger breasts, varicose veins, and stretch marks.
Some of the changes are bound to happen because our bodies are expanding to accommodate the new life we are creating and to be able to provide for it.
As beautiful and precious as this baby will be to you, it can be tough to escape that nagging feeling that the baby left you feeling the opposite.
I’m 19 months postpartum as I write this, so it took me a little while to the point of accepting my body after having a baby.
There are a few things that I started doing to get that point, so I want to share that with you all.
Here, I will discuss how I began loving my body after having a baby.
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What Happens To Your Body After Having A Baby?
Before I get into how I have been loving my body after having a baby, let’s quickly talk about what happens to your body after having a baby.
What really happens to your body after having a baby?
The obvious things that come to mind are gaining stretch marks and weight gain in the abdomen area.
Maybe your boobs got a little bigger and you filled out in other areas that were much smaller pre-baby.
And I don’t even want to talk about hair loss and shedding.
These are all things that we all go through after having a baby, but no one talks about the lack of bladder control you have right after having a baby.
When I was pregnant, I would pee on myself a little bit when I laughed or coughed too hard, but I was not prepared to be still doing that postpartum as well.
Well, I got the chance to collaborate with a company that created the perfect solution to that particular problem.
Ondrwear created a leak-proof panty designed with a plant-based liner to help with urinary leakage that we may experience from time to time.
And if you think this underwear looks like a diaper, you couldn’t be more wrong.
They have different underwear styles that range from boy shorts, high-waisted briefs, and even thongs.
Ondrwear is the solution you have been looking for when it comes to quality leak-proof underwear.
And you know I had to come through with the discount for you all.
If you use the code JUSTJASS, you will save 10% off your purchase.
Now that we have discussed some of the things that can happen to our bodies after having a baby, let’s talk about how you can begin loving your body after having a baby.
Loving My Body After Having A Baby
Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
The very first thing I did in order to love my body after having a baby was to stop comparing myself to other moms.
In a previous post, I discussed how comparing your parenting style to another mom’s parenting style can be discouraging and can often lead to mom guilt.
This also applies to your mom-bod.
Don’t be fooled by what you see on the TV or the internet.
Celebrities and Instagram moms get stretch marks, varicose veins, and the kangaroo pouch that won’t disappear too.
But they have the means to cover up or have them removed before anyone can even notice that they were there.
It is no wonder so many moms struggle with their body image after having a baby because of the unrealistic things that we see on TV or on the internet.
I have friends who have had kids and the baby fat looked like it just fell right off of them to the point it looked like they never even had a kid.
And I also have friends that did not lose all of the baby weight and like to wear body shapers and high-waisted pants because it is slimming.
It is whatever works for you
In my case, the weight fell off of me, and just keep going.
I actually started to look sickly and had to be told that I had to gain the weight back.
There is nothing healthy about looking like your child has sucked the life out of you and left you looking like a zombie.
Embrace Yourself
The next thing I had to do was embrace my postpartum body.
This is definitely a lot easier said than done and I am still working on this myself.
When I look in the mirror, I physically see bags under my eyes, sore boobs, a little pouch in my abdomen area, stretch marks, and some varicose veins.
However, every feature tells me a story back.
The bags under my eyes are from getting up throughout the night to soothe my hungry baby and now a teething toddler who felt instantly comforted by my touch alone.
My sore boobs are from being my daughter’s primary feeding source and providing all the nutrients she needed for 18 months.
The little pouch and stretch marks are from my body expanding to give life to my daughter.
And my varicose veins are from the strength it took to carry my daughter.
The story your postpartum body tells you back is a powerful one.
When you embrace the story, you are that much closer to embracing this new version of yourself.
We would want our own kids to embrace themselves and this starts with embracing ourselves first.
Be Kind To Yourself
Once you have embraced your body, you can start being a little kinder to yourself.
Some moms become obsessive over everything they eat or are working out many hours a day in hopes to lose the baby weight or maintain their current weight.
There is a healthy way to eat and work out that doesn’t leave you feeling deprived or in some cases feeling worse.
Yes, you should try to eat healthily.
And, yes you should get your body moving and find a way to exercise.
But I promise you will not suffer if you have a cheat day.
Be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace some days.
You are already doing an amazing job momma.
My guilty pleasure is those chocolate caramels from Ghirardelli.
I like to consider those a treat and I love to treat myself after dinner at night.
Indulge in those guilty pleasures every once in a while because you deserve it.
Take Care Of Yourself
You knew it was coming.
Can I really make a post about how to love your body after having a baby without mentioning taking care of yourself?
Absolutely not.
If you keep up with my blog posts, I am extremely big on self-care and self-development.
The only way to do everything I said above is by taking care of yourself.
All the weight I lost after having my daughter wasn’t because I wanted to.
It was because I was neglecting myself as a new mom and dealing with postpartum depression.
You have to remember underneath the title of mom that you still exist.
I know that it doesn’t feel or look like it, but it is true.
Don’t forget that person.
Your Turn
Now that I have discussed my experiences and how I have learned to love my body after having a baby, I want to hear from you. I want to know how you are learning to love your body after having a baby down below in the comments. Don’t forget to use my code JUSTJASS to save 10% off your purchase of Ondrwear. And while you are still here, check out my previous blog post below. Until next time!
- Read More: Childproof Your Home For Your Toddler
Love,
Just Jass
Jasmyn Heard
Hi! I'm Jasmyn or "Jas" as everyone likes to call me! I'm a stay-at-home girl momma to 2 beautiful little girls and married to my wonderful husband whom I have been with for 10 years! I'm a book and tea lover and when I'm not working on my blog, you can find me sharing bits and pieces of our lives on Instagram or me strolling down the aisles of Target and DSW! I'm the mama blogger behind the blog, Just Jass, where I offer parenting advice, productivity tips, and positive mental health habits from my perspective as mama of 2. Why don't you join me and my Jassy Fam as we navigate this thing called "mom-life" together!
27 Comments
Lucy
What an insightful blog. I am yet to have children, and as someone who has struggled with self-image issues for years, one of the things I fear the most is how my body will change. Your blog has offered some reassurance. Thank you for sharing!
Jasmyn Wilkins
I too used to struggle with body image issues as well as after I had my daughter, those feelings resurfaced. All the time I spent stressing over how I looked wasn’t helpful to me or my daughter, so I learned to embrace it. I’m really glad you enjoyed this post and that it was helpful to you!
Anu
I loved this post! We as humans will always keep changing in shape and looks. We have to accept, embrace, and love ourselves the way we are and take care of ourselves.
Jasmyn Wilkins
I am getting better at loving myself every day and hope this post encourages the next person! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post!
Alexia
It was meant for me to see this. I’ve been struggling with my mom bod. I started exercising to get rid of it but back pain has set me back a week and I hate it. Thank you for the reminder to love me no matter what.
Jasmyn Wilkins
You are absolutely welcome! We all struggle a little bit including me but I have to remind myself why my body changed and that I wouldn’t take back my baby for anything! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post!
Shelley Whittaker
I am very proud of what my body has done, despite the small kangaroo pouch and the less perky boobs that are now a permanent feature. My weigh has pretty much stayed the same (although I also lost too much weight after I finished breastfeeding and my head space wasn’t great). I was eating LOADS but my body must have been fundamentally stressed and just shedding the excess calories. I prioritize attending Pilates twice a week now to keep my body strong and healthy, so I can take good care of my little girl who needs me 🙂
Jasmyn Wilkins
I absolutely love this comment! We are powerful beings and we are so hard on ourselves! It’s great that you are prioritizing pilates and taking care of yourself. I need to hop on that train! I’m glad that you enjoyed this post!
Julianne
I’m not a mom yet, but I feel like these tips are wonderful for anyone struggling with their body image. Mom’s bodies have done some beautiful things, which I believe makes them beautiful ❤️ Thank you for sharing!
Jasmyn Wilkins
I completely agree with your comment! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post!
Lekha C
Nice motivational post! I am sure all new Moms need some sort of positive guidance to let go of premonitions and love their body.
Jasmyn Wilkins
It is much easier said than done, but we are working on it and it gets better every day. Glad you enjoyed this post!
Amanda
Thanks for sharing this! I’ve defiantly been trying to embrace my new body after having my son! It’s challenging but trying to be kind to myself!
Jasmyn Wilkins
I right there with you, but it gets better! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post!
Natasha
It’s so hard with all the changes your body goes through when having a baby. I love what you said about not comparing yourself to others as that is so important. I have been learning to love my body again through yoga and the progress I have made
Jasmyn Heard
It is so tough! And that is a great way to feel confident and love your body again!
Monika Gil
That’s a lovely post! Mum-Bods are just bodies. A little different but so lovable! xxx
Jasmyn Wilkins
Yes, they are so lovable! I’m glad that you enjoyed this post!
Sarah Styf
Nine years after my youngest was born and I still struggle to love my mom bod, especially since he sucked the life out of my boobs, ha! But turning 40 forced me to embrace healthy instead of shape, and I spend every day trying to remind myself of that.
Jasmyn Wilkins
I’m right there with you as far as my daughter sucking the life out of my boobs! Lol! It is a continuous process of choosing to love ourselves even if we don’t want to. I’m glad that you enjoyed this post!
Amber | Love, Mama Blog
Great post! It’s so true that you should never compare yourself to other mamas postpartum. Everyone has a different body type, everyone takes different amounts of time to recover after birth, and the worst thing you can do for your mental health is start judging yourself. I know the struggle, I’ve had two children 15 months apart and it took me awhile to adjust to the new me. What helped me was exercise, not just for the sake of trying to get my old body back but primarily for the mental health benefits that come from exercise. I noticed my positive attitude and energy return after only a few short weeks. And even though I know I will never be the same as I was pre-babies, I still feel more confident because I know I am taking care of ME! Love you bodies ladies! You have done something so miraculous by giving birth, your body gave its all to growing and birthing your baby. Now show it some appreciation and love and don’t compare other women.
Jasmyn Heard
Yes! Yes! Yes to all of this mama! We have done something so amazing by bringing life into this world and should love the bodies that did that! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post!
Sarah
I just had a baby 2 weeks ago so this article really touched my heart! It’s so important to realize what about body has been through and love any changes! Thank you
Jasmyn Heard
You are very welcome! And our bodies truly are amazing!
Saajida Parveen
Very realistic and most inspiring
Jasmyn Heard
Thank you! I’m so glad that found this post to be inspiring!
nidhi sharma
Kudos to you for talking about these things and inspiring moms to love their body. but Leaky bladder is not something that you ( or anyone) has to live with. Pantyliners are bandaids and they do not address the underlying issue. Which is your pelvic floor. By just hiding the problem (instead of solving it), one is more likely to have worse bladder control as they age ( hello menopause). Pelvic floor physical therapy will Solve this problem instead of hiding it. It is extremely successful and should be routine for all post partum moms, imo. – Nidhi ( pelvic floor PT and a post partum mama)