My Postpartum Belly and I

Woman pregnant

I broke my promise. I told myself that I will not be someone who will worry or fret over my postpartum belly. But then a month went by, then three months and then seven months later, I am still at the same weight. So I can’t help but question, where did I go wrong? I’ve breastfed, exercised and maintained a healthy diet, so I should be significantly thinner right? Wrong.

Between feeds, bath time, sleep and all the other baby stuff, where do moms find the time to just be ok with themselves? This remains to be the problem. Without the necessary support, the momma stress increases and all that anxiety, lack of sleep, worry and guilt sits right in the postpartum belly. Finding time to even take a shower can feel incredibly stressful.

The relationship with the postpartum belly goes a lot deeper. As moms, it is finding new ways to love ourselves and appreciate things about ourselves while we raise our children. Our children will benefit from a momma who takes the time to de-stress and unwind. I realized that even five minutes of complete un-interrupted time for yourself can do wonders for the overall health. Taking a few deep breaths, lighting a scented candle, dimming the lights all adds to giving moms some much needed time to de-stress.

Stress, especially during the postpartum period, can significantly lead to health issues and also weight gain. By decreasing stress, the energy level increases and you feel like yourself again! Now that makes taking time out for yourself completely worth it!