celebrate

It has been 6 months and a week since I have had Brody and I can honestly say I am HAPPY with my body. Not "I look good for having a baby" happy, but just happy. I go back and forth with this body image business. We women, we have babies! It's an amazing, wonderful thing that our bodies do. And to be honest I hate that I felt pressured to lose my baby fat and be fit again. Nobody pressured me, I pressured me. Every where you look women are fit and trim. Celebrities are constantly thrown in our faces with their "perfect" figures. Celebrities who've had babies are touted for how quickly they bounce back from baby. All I can think though, all I have been thinking since having my nugget is why? Why does it matter how fast you lose the baby weight? My body went through something monumental. I carried a baby for nine months. A baby, MY baby, grew inside of me from a tiny egg! And a part of that miracle is gaining weight. But I really believe gaining weight while pregnant, and eating healthy for you and baby...it's nothing to feel bad about. Move around and be active after baby. But don't kill yourself trying to lose baby weight. I'm not saying I didn't go through moments. I was/am back and forth. Yes, I couldn't wait to get back into my pre-baby clothes. But I couldn't help thinking that I should be enjoying this. I have a beautiful baby boy that I gave birth to. I have every right in the world to take my time losing the weight. Why should I beat myself up about it. It's SO hard not to, but instead of letting negative body image thoughts fill my head, I tried to focus on the joy in front of me. Brody. We are brain washed. I am brain washed. Some days all I could think was "work out". Other days, weeks...I thought no way. The weight will come off and it doesn't need to happen over night. I guess what it comes down to in my mind is this: celebrate your body! Celebrate the post baby body, embrace it. Because more important is that bundle of joy that just came from that amazing body. That body is beautiful. That body carried a baby. That body, with the extra weight on it, that body produced a miracle. Deny those negative thoughts because nothing is more beautiful than a momma with her baby!