After you have had your baby, we still live in a world where it is assumed that your number one goal will be to ‘lose the baby weight’ or ‘get your pre-baby body back’. There are so many issues with this assumption, all of which are incredibly unhelpful; we’re going to unpack some of them…
First, your body is not the same and it cannot, physically, ever, go ‘back’ to the way it was before you gave birth. So, based on this fact alone I believe we should release all mothers, everywhere, of that very quest.
Don’t you wish it was that simple!
Secondly, our drive to ‘get our body back’ may be fueled more from our self-perception and (lack of) self-worth than it really is about the actual size or physicality of our body. We may believe that if we are smaller, we are more valuable. We may believe that if we are smaller our partner will find us more attractive or love us more. We may believe that living in a smaller body will be the answer to a multitude of inner thoughts and feelings that will not be solved or fixed at all. I believe that as women who have grown up with these thoughts and feelings for the majority of our teenage and adult life so far that we must find a way to release ourselves and fully understand that our self-worth is not related and that after having a baby, with the right support and guidance we actually have a huge opportunity to observe, question and re-set these thoughts and lead ourselves toward a happier and more content place both inside and out.
And lastly, for today; whilst we are stuck inside our heads and our thoughts are consumed with that quest to ‘get your body back’ you are missing out on real life. Real life with the little human that you have created and those around you that love you in all your shapes, sizes, and seasons as a woman. We are missing the memories and the fun times.
And so, my encouragement to you is to ditch the ‘get your pre-baby body’ mentality, free yourself of this pressure, know you are SO much more and as you go about doing this you will create space for other mothers to do the same.
Jen Dugard is the founder and creator of MumSafe™️ – the go-to website for mums to connect with Personal Trainers & exercise services that are certified, experienced and partner with Women’s Health Physiotherapists so that you know you are in very safe hands. Head to www.mumsafe.com.au.
