Keeping a healthy body image in pregnancy & beyond

If you’re currently pregnant or have recently had a baby, this post is for you.

It seems that even though women’s bodies are SUPPOSED to change during pregnancy, there is a lot of (unnecessary) media pressure for Mums to ‘get their body back’.

It’s no surprise to me that I’m often asked by Mums how they can feel good about the changes to their bodies that pregnancy brings.

In this post, I’m sharing three tips to help Mums embrace their body in pregnancy and beyond.

Watch or read below:

Feeling good in your body during pregnancy

Women often ask me how they can feel good about the changes to their body pregnancy brings.

Now, I’ll admit that while I haven’t had any children myself, I’ve got plenty of clients and friends who have.

Listening to their experiences, and helping them work on their body image has given me insights into this life changing time in a woman’s life.

If you’re pregnant or have recently had a baby, here are three tips to help you accept and embrace your body:

Set boundaries around body touching or body comments

Some women tell me that during pregnancy, friends, family and peers think they have carte-blanche to touch and comment on their growing bump.

BUT, just because you are pregnant, it doesn’t mean that it’s okay for people to touch your belly if they feel like it.  Neither is it okay to make comments on your size or shape.

If you find it uncomfortable to have your tummy touched, don’t be afraid to say so.  And, if you receive unwanted comments about your baby bump, make it clear that the comments are unwanted and unnecessary.

Exercising your right to decide what is acceptable for your body will help you to feel more empowered in it.

Be grateful to your body

Rather than focusing on what your body looks like during or after pregnancy, be grateful to your body for what it has done.

Bringing a new life into the world is an incredible achievement, and far more important than what your body looks like.

Your body is designed to have babies, and it’s perfectly natural and normal for it to change.

Rather than mourn the loss of your body prior to having a baby, embrace the body that brought new life into the world.

Limit your media exposure

Limit your exposure to media promoting the idea that you need to get your pre-pregnancy body back. 

There are some pretty ridiculous ideals about what pregnancy and post pregnancy bodies ‘should’ look like.

It doesn’t help when celebrities are seen to return to their pre-pregnancy size just weeks after giving birth.

BUT, remind yourself that this is not attainable or healthy for most women.  Your body knows best, and it will recover and adjust to birth in its own time.

Do your body image a favour and give media promoting these ridiculous ideals a miss.

Bringing a new life into the world is an amazing thing.  Viewing pregnancy as something that damages or scars women’s bodies undermines the miracle of life itself.  So be proud of your body, it IS incredible!

I’d love to know how you maintain a healthy body image during and post pregnancy, so leave a comment below.