By Iris Farrou
07 Sep, 2022
Diet & Exercise, Health Conditions and Pregnancy, Heart health, Lifestyle Tips, Mental Health, Parenting, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Prevention, Queer Health, Reproductive health, Women's Health
Body Changes in Pregnancy, body positive, Body Positivity During Pregnancy, Body Positivity While Pregnant, Eating Disorders and Pregnancy, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy weight gain pregancy, How much weight should I gain in pregnancy, How to manage weight during pregnancy, how to prepare body for pregnancy, Weight Gain Support
If you have armed yourself with all the knowledge you can gather regarding the possible changes
on your body during pregnancy, then you are one step closer to dealing with the physical effect
of those changes. Some women, though they do know their body will change during pregnancy
and possibly afterwards as well, do not seem to mind it at all. Great! According to a survey of
more than 1500 women, just over 41% said they felt more negative about their bodies after
pregnancy. Which goes to show: the majority of women are struggling with body image while
pregnant. Not to mention what the body image stress is probably not helping the baby…
Is this only related to pregnancy?
Of course not… women in general are held to unrealistic expectations of beauty standards—expectations that the media and society constantly repeat. In recent years, this pressure for body perfection has worsened with the rise of social media. What is worse in pregnancy, however, is that the changes are relatively rapid, weight gain is almost always expected, feelings are exacerbated, and you may even be feeling alien in your own body. A vessel, so to speak. All of these are true: you will most likely gain weight during your pregnancy, it’s possible to develop stretch marks, and it is also a possibility that your post-partum body will not be 100% the same as your pre-pregnancy body.
This is a lot…
Yes, this can absolutely be overwhelming. Despair not! Weight gain is—and we cannot stress this enough—normal, and healthy for your baby. Also, if your doctor or nurse gives you the green light, you can exercise while pregnant. It may be light exercise, such as swimming or walking, or pre-natal yoga. These options help make you more aware of the connection between your body and your mind, perhaps take some of the edge off and your mind off of your worries and are steps to ensure the overall health of your body.
If you are concerned about weight gain during pregnancy, make a plan with your doctor, nurse, or mid wife, about your diet. Allow yourself the small pleasures without guilt: your body is participating in the miracle of nourishing a new life. There is no way to make this happen in a healthy manner unless you experience changes yourself.
What else can I do?
Honestly, don’t bottle up your feelings. Being insecure about, or even disappointed with, your
body image is completely normal. Share those feelings and thoughts with your partner, talk about
those worries with your friends. You may want to join a mom group, or even an online
discussion forum where you can exchange ideas with others on the same boat. If it gets too
much, you can always talk to a medical professional or a therapist. Even if you didn’t have body
image issues before pregnancy, it is not uncommon that future mothers start facing those worries
for the first time when they become pregnant. You are not alone in this!
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As a woman raising a daughter, you want her to grow into a confident, capable, and healthy woman. After all, in your mind, she is the most beautiful and exceptional girl in the world, and she should realize that too. Understand, however, that your beliefs, attitudes, and comments about your own body are some of the most impactful factors that will dictate how your daughter feels about her own. According to a report by Common Sense Media, five to eight-year-olds who think their mothers are unhappy with their bodies are more likely to feel dissatisfied with their bodies in return. With swimsuit season quickly approaching, now more than ever, learn to break the habit of negative self-image talk and be the confident woman you hope your daughter will be one day too. Keep reading for five tips for learning to be body positive.
- Accept that What You See in the Media is Not a Standard to Which You Should Aspire. Your Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook feeds are likely full of images of celebrities, social media personalities, and even acquaintances who appear to be thinner, fitter, and happier than you. Remind yourself that what you see is only a curated compilation of moments in time and that you don’t have to be waiflike to be happy—because most women aren’t rail thin, and those who are, may not be healthy, or nearly as happy as they appear in your social stream.
- Talk to Your Body Like It’s Your Friend. If your friend were having a bad day, and feeling bad about herself, you wouldn’t agree or toss further insults at her. You’d pick her back up on her feet and remind her of all of her unique qualities. Do the same for your body. After all, you’re going to be together for a long time.
- Spread Your Positivity Around. If you find yourself criticizing yourself, that negativity could manifest into how you perceive others as well. Don’t let yourself become so obsessed with weight, body types, or small insignificant physical details that you find yourself thinking (or saying!) negative comments about other people’s bodies. By remaining positive about others, you will find ways to be positive about yourself. And by being positive about yourself, you will effortlessly be positive about others. It’s a happy cycle.
- Forgive Yourself. If you are trying to eat healthily, go to yoga class, and drink plenty of water, but find it’s not always easy to be consistent while you are running around after your toddler and doing double duty as a mom and a dedicated employee, give yourself a break. Cheat on your diet one day? Forgive yourself and recommit tomorrow. Haven’t seen the scale budge in weeks? Don’t let that be a reason to stop trying to make healthy choices. Forgiveness is an essential predecessor to acceptance, which is a critical step toward happiness.
- Surround Yourself with Positive People. The people in your life can have a detrimental impact on your happiness if they are highly critical, self-deprecating, and unsupportive. You don’t need that level of negativity in your life. By surrounding yourself with people who share your values and appreciation for maintaining a positive body image, you will find that even on a bad day, you have the motivation to remain positive.
Remember, your body image doesn’t only impact you; it affects your daughter too. Be the confident, accepting woman you want your daughter to be, and you’ll both live happy, healthy lives.
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