Body image and the new mother

Sagging breasts.
Stretch marks tattooed into your skin.
Baby fat.
Loosened muscles down below.
Incontinence.
Post partum hair loss.

Becoming a mother takes its toll on your body alone. This is partly why a lot of mothers go through post partum depression. The amount of changes that go on in a woman's body before and after pregnancy is beyond belief.

Me personally, I have noticed my body has changed drastically-- both good and bad. I have lost a lot of the extra baby fat I had (Hallelujah) but in exchange I have an unsightly amount of stretch marks all over my stomach, as well as the skin on my stomach looking a lot darker than it did before. My skin generally has become a lot drier, and i've noticed my skin easily scars too.

This hasn't got me down, oh no-- I just look at it and remember my 9 month journey. Sometimes I will admit, I look at it and really don't like the way that I look, but then I look at what I've been blessed with and I forget about it.

As women.. We do worry about the way we look.. We wonder if we can 'snapback' to how we were before we got pregnant.. Even though it is very possible, our bodies are never the same.
We go through a lot. A LOT. After giving birth there is a process of healing that must take place.. Especially if you've had a perinnial muscle tear and need to get stitches.. There is a lot that happens when you have a baby that not everyone mentions. All you see is the mother screaming and then a beautiful baby pops out. There is a lot more to it than just that.

So many complications can occur when being on that delivery bed.. It is only by the Grace of God that sees you through.

The changes that occur DOES NOT make you less of a woman, rather it is all proof that you are a superwoman! Your body was able to endure the stress of carrying a human being inside of you.

What an accomplishment!

It's understandable that you may lament about all of the changes that your body has gone through-- but it is all part of the process-- God has given us the strength and the ability to be able to go through it!

All of these things doesn't make you less of a woman, rather it shows how much of a woman you really are-- to be able to go through each day and nourish a growing human inside of you-- still being able to function and to still take care of your other children (for the mama's that have more than one child)

It is a blessing. You are much stronger than you think supermom-- the changes your body has endured is proof that you harbour so much strength and resilience. Be proud of your body. Love yourself, embrace everything about the body God has blessed you with.

Happy International Women's Day! x