Friday, November 14, 2008

Body By Baby

I have complained, bitched and bemoaned the loss of my flat abs ever since having a baby.

I have cried and missed my body like a crazy person had taken residence inside my brain and was making me focus only on numbers on the scale. I have good reason for my tears.

Before:



After:



I was lucky the first time. My body went back to "normal" with minimal effort--the running and working out I love to do anyway. This time it seems to be doing the same, although my patience is even thinner (hard as that is to believe and pun intended). I have tried again and again to tell myself that my babies are worth it. And they mostly are.

But I have never seen other postpartum bodies to know if I was normal. Was the flab I sported until 6 months postpartum the same as all women. And the answer? Yes.

Thanks to this site I have some insight into the lines and marks other women deal with as well. I am normal.

Seeing this sort of opened my eyes. My body has been through a major change. I can't expect to look exactly the same (at least not for a while). In some ways, I like the scars. How amazing is my body? Wow. I used to climb mountains, but this is so much cooler, such a greater high.

I may not have the courage to ever post my unclothed "after" photos online, but the fact that some women do has given me strength and made me a little less anxious about my flaws.

2 comments:

Kristi said...

I've seen that site before, and yes, it made me feel better as well.

I'm finding the weight loss much slower this time around. I'm not sure if it's because I gained more weight, had twins, or what, but it's depressing. I wish it didn't bother me as much as it does.

Agent Saskia said...

I too found this site gave me a reality check. And for the record, though your picture here is at an odd angle, I think you are looking great. It took me at least ten months, with work, to get my body "back".