6 Ways to Show Your Post-Baby Body Love

14 Feb 6 Ways to Show Your Post-Baby Body Love

Postpartum common situation: You’re home with your new baby and, through all the excitement of bringing life into this world, you haven’t stopped to really observe your new body – until now. You knew it was going to change through pregnancy and childbirth but you didn’t expect to look into the mirror one day and be shocked at how little you recognize yourself.

As you became a mother, you gained so many things but, still, not feeling at home in your body can be hard to deal with. Many women say that they feel like their post-baby bodies are no longer their own and many more, while they adore their precious little one, would kill to fit into those pre-baby skinny jeans. Though these changes to your body may feel overwhelming, learning to love and accept it, stretch marks and all, can give you power over your body. Whether you’re determined to get back into shape or you’re ready to unconditionally love that post-baby miracle body of yours, these five tips will have you on the right track.

1.     Pamper yourself

With your busy schedule now including caring for an infant, it’s easy for self-care to get swept under the rug. Pampering yourself is so important – it will give you a boost in confidence, help you relax, and give you time to be not just a mother but be the woman you were before you gave birth. Have your partner take baby duty while you indulge in a nice hot bath, followed up with a layer of raw shea butter. Budget permitting, find a trusting babysitter to take charge while you get a massage or go out for a glass of wine with friends. Whether it be in mind or body, self-care is a great way to get back in touch with your post-baby body and bring some normality back into your new life.

2.    Eat a Balanced Diet

There is no better way to show your post-baby body love than treating it right from the inside out. When you’re breastfeeding, you and your baby are what you eat so it is important to maintain a well-balanced diet. Load up on leafy greens (full of vitamin A and calcium), complex carbs, like brown rice (which despite what you may have heard about carbs, actually helps you maintain a steady amount of energy throughout the day – without downing 4 lattes), and lean proteins. If you are not breastfeeding, a postpartum diet can help you feel energized and inch you closer to fitting back into your favorite little black dress. Still, part of eating a well-balanced diet means having a piece of chocolate cake when the craving strikes and not feeling a damn bit guilty about it!

3.    Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Yoga is an amazing way to rejuvenate your post-baby body, though you’ll want to wait until 5 or 6 weeks after giving birth so your body has plenty of time to heal. Hitting your mat is a great, gentle way to start easing your body back into exercise after you have a baby. Spending some time in downward dog or doing sun salutations can boost your mood, increase your flexibility, and help you find a balance between reclaiming your body and celebrating all of the amazing things it can do. You can even incorporate Kegel exercises into your yoga routine for a powerful workout – inside and out.

4.   Spend time outdoors

Take a hike – literally! Although it may be tempting to spend as much time as you can indoors with your new baby, especially if you feel like you are running on coffee and love, there are many proven benefits of being outside. Spending just a few minutes in the fresh air can relieve stress, restore your mental energy, and boost your immune system. Head to the park or go on an (easy) hike – your baby will love exploring the world around them and you’ll feel stronger and more in tune with your body.

Una publicación compartida de Bwom (@hellobwom) el Feb 5, 2018 at 8:30 PST

5.   Get inspired with “body love” images

In today’s society we are constantly impacted by images of perfect and unreal women, even of postpartum women. But the good news is that in contrast of this, a new trend has born: self-love. Words like “body love” or “body positivity” are trending topics. And that’s great! You can find hundreds of Instagram accounts with millions of followers who share pictures and illustrations that can empower you to be yourself, love your body as it is, and make you feel more comfortable and confident with your body. In the postpartum, get inspired by birth, partum and breastfeeding accounts like this ones: empoweredbirthproject, Birthofmama, takebackpostpartum, doulatrainingsint and our own timeline: Hellobwom!

6.   Give yourself a break

Your post-baby body may seem alien to you and have you thinking about calling up a personal trainer to help whip it back into shape. But before you start training like Kate Hudson before a rom-com, give your body a well-deserved break. After all, you did just create a human! It’s going to take time to get to the point where you feel comfortable in your beautiful new body. The best way to do this is to embrace and appreciate the strong body that allowed you to experience these changes. When you’re feeling down take a moment to really look at your stretch marks or belly – and practice gratitude for the life they have created. Show your body love by being gentle with it. Remember, you’re teaching your child how to love their body by the way they watch you love yours.

To really show love to that miraculous post-baby body, follow your customized Bwom plan to restore your pelvic floor health and confidence!