Postpartum: Loving your body through all the changes
Things I have searched on my Pinterest:
Postpartum exercises
Healing pelvic floor PP
Sleep schedule for babies
When to introduce solids
Freezer prep meals
How to increase milk supply
Ideas for Organizing milk in freezer
Unsolicited messages showing up on my Pinterest:
How to Get rid of that mom pouch
Hot Mom Bod work out
Lose the baby fat FAST
How to flatten your tummy after a C section
Keep your milk supply up AND lose weight!
How I lost the baby weight in 6 months
I never asked for diet culture to slap me in the face after I had my baby. I am just trying to figure things out, take care of my body, take care of my baby AND get some damn sleep!
It makes me sad because I know there are tired moms feeding their babies at 4 am and searching how to lose weight and keep their milk supply up. It makes me sad because there are moms who wake up, feed their baby, try to get a quick shower in and feel guilty for not having the energy or time to work out. It makes me sad because there are moms who cry over their stretch marks, milk filled boobs, and soft stomach wanting to undo all the “damage”. And I have to ask myself, what kind of BS is this?
What kind of society do we live in that makes moms feel shame about their bodies that JUST PUSHED OUT A HUMAN! Or in my case, got a human cut out of my body…
Bodies change. And thats okay. Bodies change after you have a baby. Bodies change when you go through puberty and menopause. Bodies change after you graduate high school, after college, in your 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Bodies change.
The more we buy into the idea that our postpartum bodies are inadequate, the more we will spend our time, money and energy trying to fix something that is not broken to begin with. The more stress we put on ourselves as new moms. The more we will spend obsessing over the scale and what we are eating rather than spending time enjoying motherhood. Or even just relaxing.
Ask yourself what you are really needing right now… As a new mom. Or just a mom in general, because IDK about you but I am busy AF 100% of the time. So what are you needing?
If you do find yourself needing and wanting movement, thats okay. The point is that you don’t beat yourself up over it, you find something that works with your right now schedule, and you are willing to be flexible. Because hey, sometimes the baby’s schedule changes. Or you might find yourself needing to rest more and prioritize sleep and down time.
Either way, when you are taking care of yourself AND practicing flexibility thats where you will find balance. Don’t fall into the trap of needing to “bounce back”.
3 Affirmations for your Postpartum Body:
It’s okay for my body to change.
My body is capable of amazing things.
I am able to accept my body as it is.
Take a deep breath mama. You are amazing and beautiful and worthy. Your body is INCREDIBLE and has gone through so much. You deserve rest. You deserve self love. You deserve to treat yourself and your body with kindness.
Cheers to mental health and body acceptance!
Alyssa Booth
