Embracing Postpartum Body: 5 Learnings to love your body

Entering motherhood is like embarking on a remarkable journey of incredible experiences. An extreme rush of joy accompanies all the other bodily changes. So, once the bundle of joy is out, a lot of responsibility also comes along. These responsibilities are not only limited to the newborn that has just stepped into this world but also to the body that carried it for the last 9 months and has to take care ahead as well.

If we are to term pregnancy phase as sweet then postpartum can be termed as sour. So Welcome Mommies, on a sweet and sour phase, as one should experience and enjoy all the flavors of life.

Postpartum comes with multiple things altogether, which includes your body which is already in a recovery process, healing from the physical changes during the three trimesters and labor, behavioral changes like irritability, low self-esteem, and anxiety as well as taking care of the newborn. Therefore, getting back to the shape and state is a slow procedure and also depends on each individual’s body. For some, it may take around 6 – 8 weeks, while for others it might also extend up to months. It is suggested not to pressurize the body much with intense workout just to fasten up the recovery pace as it may affect the production of milk if breastfeeding and instead provide it with the required amount of time.

Seeing your body in a completely different form is not an easy task. Hence, a desire to get back to those jeans and skinny tops seems natural especially after seeing some others like you getting back to basics. Bouncing back to the earlier state can be a myth for somebody. But why does one want to change their body? Isn’t your current look proof of victory? As Katherine seller (a happily embraced Mom) says, “I no longer feel like I need to change anything. I’m happy with my body. I have scars that are beautiful because without them I would be without my daughter, and she is my world.” She is just one strong example, like her there are many mums who have learned to accept and have happily embraced their postpartum body.

There are several ways you can love your postpartum body. Let us discuss a few here:

• Self-appreciation is a must: Appreciating and admiring your own bodies for giving a gift of a lifetime.
• Following the 2 P’s- patience and positivity: These 2 are supposed to go hand in hand. Being patient and thinking positive keeps the mind and body healthy and at peace.
• Acceptance: Learn to accept that this is something common and not abnormal.
• Engaging in motivation: As a new mother it is hard to get enough time for oneself but taking out some time to engage in reading motivational stories of mothers during postpartum can be helpful in instilling hope of positivity.
• Being an inspiration: Get involved in writing articles and sharing your own story on social media to inspire other moms.

Above mentioned were steps with which one can help themselves but family members also play a crucial role in helping them cope with it through their constant support and encouragement.

Postpartum healthy eating is a necessary aspect to be kept in mind. Some additions and restrictions in the diet include:

• Consumption of organic fruits and vegetables.
• Refined products like flour, sugar, etc. should be avoided.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are a must as it helps in breaking down fat in our body. This includes flaxseeds, walnut, etc.
• Intake of whole grains is suggested.
• Plenty of fluid intake in the form of milk, water, and fresh fruit juice.
• Edible items including caffeine and alcohol should be strictly avoided as it may pass to the baby through feeding.
• Foods that are rich in iron like spinach, meat, or fish should be included.
• Avoiding junk as much as you can is the best but having a small quantity once in a while won’t do much harm.

On the part of the exercise, one can initially start with brisk walking in parks which will get a change in surrounding and even the baby could be tagged along in a stroller. If necessary, after around 2-3 months doctors can be consulted before starting with an exercise routine.

A few years back 4 popular mom bloggers started a hashtag trend on Instagram as #this_is_postpartum with the motive of inspiring all the other amazing new moms to also come out in acceptance and normalize this natural change in the body that occurs post-pregnancy.

One should learn to love their bodies which is capable of magic regardless of all the negativities in the society. There should not be any hindrance in loving one’s own body; it should be unconditional!

Stay Tuned, Stay Relevant!