For a long time, I have been extremely self-conscious about my post-baby body. It’s been hard to accept that my body has changed so much after my twin pregnancy. My daughters are about to turn 3, yet I’m nowhere near how I used to be or would like to be. I never imagined how difficult it would be to lose the baby weight. Or how our bodies would change so drastically after birth. For some of us at least.
I’d lie if I said I didn’t compare myself to other women often – I’m only human.
And seeing these perfect celebrities looking like supermodels 2 weeks post-partum makes it even more challenging. It truly messes with our minds and makes us our own biggest critics, and we can be so hard on ourselves without realizing it.
I am currently not confident with my body image. And I haven’t been for some time. I hate to admit it, but it is the truth. When I see myself in the mirror I miss how I used to look, and it makes me sad and uneasy. All I see are stretch marks, loose skin, and a bulged belly button. Not a pretty image in my eyes.
Yes, I am a slim person (I have a fast metabolism) but being skinny isn’t everything. I never had the perfect body, but I was happy and confident with my pre-baby appearance. I miss that. Nowadays, you will never catch me wearing my pre-pregnancy bikinis, and one-piece bathing suits have become my best friend! I’ve had to adjust my style and wardrobe to my new body. Everything I wear now has to cover my stomach and obviously high-waisted jeans – truly my lifesaver.
Unfortunately, we live in a society that believes we have to look and be a certain way (to their standards) in order to be happy and confident. And sadly, we all get sucked into this belief one way or another. I admit that I have spent an unreasonable amount of time focusing on my body image. I’ve let it affect me emotionally and mentally for far too long. It has taken me a bit to realize that looks are not everything in life and that they certainly don’t define me.
I am determined to learn to love and accept my new body because it’s the only one I’ve got.
Sure, my body is far from perfect. But I am a mother, and I am a woman who sacrificed her body to bring her babies into this world. That is something to be tremendously proud of. My body was my babies’ first home. Is there anything more magical and powerful than that? Nothing could ever top that and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
We have to stop being so hard on ourselves and learn to see the good side of everything – even our bodies. Women come in all shapes, colors, and forms and we are not all alike. We have to make peace with the fact that every woman’s body is different. And that’s okay.
As cliché as it may sound, we really are beautiful in our own way.
I may not ever be 100% happy with the appearance of my post-baby body but I have accepted that it will most likely never be how it was. And that’s okay. Although I may not love how I look now, my body will always be beautiful, for it created and grew life.
One thing I do know is that I will always be proud and grateful that my body carried the miracle of life. And I have my marks to prove it.
