I gave birth to my first child on May 12, 2017. My entire pregnancy I was told to watch my weight because it would be so hard to loose once the baby was born. So like many women, I was obsessed with staying as small as I could: watching every calorie, drink, and working out until the day I went into labor. There’s so much stress to stay in a certain category based on what society thinks when it comes to women and their appearances!
Once I had Atticus I realized that weight was the last thing I should have been worried about while pregnant. We as women are body shamed constantly. But many of those who are shaming have no idea what it takes to give birth to a child and the postpartum symptoms. There are so many women who will never be able to fit the “mold” of what society thinks they should look like. While we are worried about our weight or how many muscles we have, the “shamers” are getting exactly what they want: inside our minds.
Once I realized what was more important, I quit worrying what others thought and quit trying to fit that perfect body type. I became so comfortable with who I am that I actually started liking the way I looked and the changes my body had made. It took a lot of courage and confidence but once I quit comparing myself to others, it was easy to do.
Look in the mirror. That is your competition. Not the mom who lost every ounce of baby weight the next day after giving birth. Or the mom who always has it together.
Remind yourself everyday that you are enough and weight is just a number. So relax, take a breath, and eat that chicken nugget. You won’t regret it.
