The other day I read this (The post-pregnancy truth that nobody talksabout ) article on Mamamia. I’ve been back at Netball for four games now, and although I haven’t wet my pants… someone did bring their niece (8 weeks old?) to the game the other night and whilst she cried on the sideline I lactated everywhere!
I’m pretty lucky with my post pregnancy body – it bounced back quiet well…but I still have a few stretch marks and some jelly belly, oh and I am sporting 10GG milk jugs.
Yes, tell me where I can find appropriate swimwear to house these puppies? It was hard enough finding a bikini to fit when I had 10E breasts, let alone now! Oh and if I could find a normal top that was large breast/breast feeding friendly, I would be happy.**
As a mum, you just want to throw something on (which hides your jelly belly and your tiger stripes) that makes you feel a little bit special. But my gripe with pregnancy and breast feeding friendly attire is a whole other post!
This is my body, not given up for all but given up nevertheless so that I could bring a life into the world (and hopefully a few more along the way).
I’m happy with it – what I am not happy with is the pressure from society for it to be something else.
Ive seen so many posts about mother’s with crazy workout schedules and eating ‘calorie negative’ foods. At first I was thinking ‘calorie negative’ foods I don’t get it (whilst eating a summer roll) and then I realised that they were talking about foods that took more energy to burn eating then what you were actually getting from said food item – like celery.
And this made me mad! Because what you eat goes to the baby – you need to be a well oiled, baby milk making machine, filled with delicious and nutritious foods for your baby (oh and the odd summer roll for sanity).
This summer I will rock a bikini at the beach – with a baby on my hip – and I will be proud of said body (in all of it’s baby producing glory not for the fact that I have a six pack… because I won’t, I value what little sleep I do get too much).
Oh and I want to attend mother’s group and sit on the floor singing songs with my baby… and then share battle stories with other mother’s over a cup of tea and a few slices of cake! Yes, I said a few!
This mummy gig is hard – so how about we stop putting so much pressure on each other about trying to have the perfect post pregnancy body.
These bodies brought life into the world. They continue to provide nourishment for our children. Yes, they are also at times sexual… but I’m sure that most father’s would agree that watching us give birth to our babies was one of the most awe inspiring achievements they have witnessed and they are okay with a battle wound or two!
Mummies be proud of your bodies…be proud of what they are! And please don’t be hard on yourselves for what they are not.
Side Rant **It shocked me when I went into a store whilst pregnant and asked to see their maternity section – to which they replied ‘People don’t wear maternity clothes these days.’ But now that I am breast feeding, it’s a whole new ball game.
Despite all of that ‘breast is best’ talk – you’ll be stretching all your normal tops of paying $90 for a t-shirt that looks like a pile of poo, if you want to breast feed. And then you’ll still be exposing your nipples the size of dinner plates to the world!
