The Power of Embracing Your Post-Baby Body
Your thoughts create your reality. With all the pressure to “bounce back,” staying body positive after birth can be tough. Our anthem at The Bloom Method? Wear the damn shorts.
The journey to loving your new “mom bod” for all that it is can be complex and nonlinear. As a woman in today’s society, the winding road to acceptance and self-love is already full of potholes and booby traps. Then add in one of the most physically and mentally transformative experiences in your entire life and you’ve got to learn how to love your body all over again.
That’s not even taking into account recovering from any birth trauma, or the sleep deprivation happening during the first few months and the fluctuations in hormones. You can begin to feel adrift, out to sea in your new body and new identity with no landmarks, no idea where your “old self” is, or how to get back to shore.
It can feel like puberty all over again. The awkwardness, the acne, the stretch marks, the hair loss. If you’re breastfeeding, the leaky breasts, the engorgement, the smell of stale milk everywhere - all of this can have you feeling uncomfortable, to say the least.
And on top of it all is the societal pressure to “bounce back.” Well, we’re here to say eff that. Enough is enough.
Let’s start by gathering together all the unrealistic expectations:
Appearing polished
Showered, rested, made-up.
Totally at ease with this crazy new identity
Losing the baby weight quickly
Back in the pre-pregnancy pants in no time
Now let’s toss them out and replace them with the reality of mom-life:
It’s messy.
It’s sleep-deprived.
It’s still wearing a shirt that’s been drooled on and spit-up on.
It’s yoga pants every day.
It’s trying to eat nutritious foods but sometimes eating whatever the hell you feel like.
It’s full of beauty, the most profound love, and mountains of laundry.
No guilt, mama. Positive self-talk is powerful. It can lower your risk of disordered eating and postpartum depression. It can improve your relationship with your baby, lift your mood and allow you to admire your body for its power, strength, and grace.
It’s true. Your thoughts create your reality. In fact, the line between frustration and defeat versus a feeling of accomplishment and progress can all come down to the way you talk to yourself. Positive self-talk can help you shift your whole mindset, which can also impact your actions, and how you approach obstacles.
Body image is so closely tied to your mental state that it can shape the entire physiology of your perspective. In a 2013 study of women suffering from anorexia, researchers were stunned to see the ladies walking sideways through doorways because they imagined themselves as too big to fit through the opening.
Knowing this, we must move into a pattern of thought that supports our entire being, including body image. We must also be aware the body image is just that - an image. The anorexic women imagined that they were too big to fit through the doorway.
We are projecting what we think we look like into the universe along with all of our insecurities about our pregnant or postpartum bodies and it’s coming back magnified. This negative self-image is amplified by societal expectations for postpartum weight loss, by unrealistic images of celebrity moms, and of other mamas carefully curating what they share to make it look like they have it all together.
What we really need is some postpartum body inspiration that is REAL. And that starts with reveling in the wonder of growing and birthing a human being. Our bodies (especially the female form) are remarkable beyond comparison. Yet somehow we have allowed the world around us to re-shape how we see ourselves, how we see each other.
When we allow our minds to think only supportive, loving, and kind thoughts pertaining to our bodies, our true form emerges in the most powerful of ways.
Here's a couple of ways to practice honoring your postpartum body:
1. Recite an empowering, body-positive mantra.
If our thoughts can literally create worlds, the possibilities within our own bodies could be endless. If only our mind was constantly our bodies cheerleader vs an internal bully, our morning (and evening!) mantra might be:
You are beautiful.
You are strong.
You are capable.
You are life-giving.
You are sexy.
You are healthy.
YOU ARE and your body IS too!
While our bodies do not define us, they most definitely are one of the most profound extensions of us. Treat them well. Speak only love to them. And for the LOVE of your body stop criticizing your every “flaw”. Each “flaw” offers a uniqueness unlike another and should be embraced just as you would any other gift you possess.
BE THE CEO OF YOUR BODY - PERIOD
NO EXCUSES
NO APOLOGIES
NO COMPARISONS
Say it loud and proud:
“I am a powerful woman who shows up in the world unapologetic for the space I take up. My body is as unique as the individual that it carries and even on days when I find it hard to love:
my curves
my stretch marks
my breasts
my cellulite
my stomach
and any other physical aspect of myself that I claim as flawed, I will embrace the skin that is uniquely mine while reminding myself that my beauty is boundless. For every ounce of judgment I place on myself, I will replace it with an abundance of kindness and love because (I) and (my body) deserve nothing less.”
2. Find a way to move your body daily.
Self-care isn’t selfish, and even a little bit of movement can work wonders on your mental space. Exercise produces endorphins, also known as the body’s magic positivity pill. These chemicals relieve stress and pain and replace it with a sense of well-being. And they’re pretty much free. They only cost you ten minutes.
Try this quick Cardio HIIT workout if you’re in need of inspiration today. Do as many reps as you feel capable of/have time for.
If you loved that sweat session and are ready for more, we have monthly or annual memberships with a wide variety of workouts, from express and bodyweight classes for busy mamas to cycle, boxing, and cardio/HIIT.
3. Let the sunshine in.
Getting outside is another magic mood booster, and it’s an easy one to multi-task with looking after your little one. Whether it’s for a nap or a wake window activity, take the baby for a walk and soak up that Vitamin D.
If you live near a park or some green space, so much the better. A 2018 study found that spending time in natural green spaces has a whole host of benefits, including decreasing the risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, and preterm birth, and increases sleep duration.
For too long women have carried the weight of how our bodies look (often in comparison to other women), versus how our bodies perform for us, support us and give to us (and others).
Are you ready to flip the switch?
Are you ready to finally give yourself the self-love you deserve? Your ability to love yourself (and your body) will spread like a beautiful wildfire that’s been waiting to help you re-write your story.
Let’s reclaim ourselves, reclaim the honoring of our bodies and demand the respect we’ve forgotten. The first step? Wear the damn shorts. You know the ones. You loved them pre-baby. Do you remember how they made you feel? Like the confident, sexy, badass woman you were, and still are. Go get ‘em, mama.