Body Image Takes a Twist

I will let you all in on a little secret. I gained 53 pounds while I was pregnant.

Fifty-three pounds.

You heard me right.

That’s an increase of 40%. And since I was last weighed on a Wednesday and gave birth on a Sunday it is entirely possible I had gained more than that. Thankfully, I also lost 46 of those pounds in the first 11 days and for anyone out there who thinks it would be really awesome to drop 46 pounds in 11 days let me assure you that it is quite painful. While clothes started fitting again right away, it has taken the last 4 months to get my body to the point where it actually “fits” in those old clothes because while the weight may be gone, things have, shall we say, “shifted”.

Of course at no point do I expect my body to ever look exactly like it did a year ago. I put on some pre maternity pants (aka, regular but bigger pants) this morning and was thrilled to find that they fit well. I wore them when I was 3 months pregnant so my concept of thrilled has certainly changed.

The amusing part of all of this is that it doesn’t bother me. Not really, not truly. I mean, yeah, so my belly isn’t flat anymore and I still look in my mind about 3 months pregnant but now I look at myself changed and view it as a badge of honor that only mothers could really know. You see models and actresses who get their skinny body back 2 weeks after their baby is born and I used to think they were lucky but now I look at them and realize their body shows no signs of the love and pain they endured for 9 months. That’s special. Why would you want to go back to normal so quickly? It’s not like it’s every day you get to do something like this.

I guess I never thought my new look would make me so happy but it does and should it ever start to go away I’ll just have to have another baby 🙂

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