Post Delivery | Do you feel like a stranger in your body?
Post delivery you might end up feeling like a stranger in your body. Becoming a mother is an incredible experience for most of us, despite the hormonal changes, physical discomfort and emotional turmoil we often experience after the delivery.
The way our body changes after delivery can be really overwhelming for some of us. I fell in this criteria when I became a mother for the first time.
I felt like a stranger in my body. From a fit girl who was flying as a flight attendant to a girl who just refused to look into the mirror, I surely had put myself in a soup (that’s how I felt back then).
My body looked and felt strange. It almost felt like I was no longer the same person.
I had to unlearn what I knew about my body and there was so much I was learning about it each day. I couldn’t accept the fact how my body looked and felt so different.
I soon decided to overcome this stranger like feeling and wanted to get acquainted with my new body. I wanted to get comfortable and confident in my skin yet again.
Post delivery I accepted and acknowledged these 7 truth bombs:
Post delivery Truth bomb #1 – Our body goes through so many stages as a mother:
• When you have fatigue during pregnancy
• When morning sickness makes you feel tired and nauseous almost the entire day
• When the bump becomes huge and you just can’t wait to have the baby
• When you deliver the baby
And then eventually the phase when your body starts recovering from the delivery and you begin figuring out your post delivery body.
There is a lot that our body goes through!
You must understand that even after a year of the delivery, your body would be silently still going through a lot.
You might feel tired faster or might not be able to control the bladder.
All this is pretty normal!
Post delivery Truth bomb #2 – You may not be able to instantly lose weight:
I learnt this the hard way that I couldn’t lose weight as quickly and easily as I did, before I was pregnant. Those strict diets didn’t work on me anymore.
My suggestion is not to be fixated on the weight, rather you must focus on feeling healthy.
Trust me, I know exactly how you feel!
Losing weight should be more about feeling good and not just losing weight. You must understand and recognize the difference between the two.
Give yourself a big pat on your back if you feel completely confident with your mommy body.
However, if you believe that you would feel better after losing some weight then you must work at it- simply set your goals and do it!
Post delivery Truth bomb #3 – The same methods might not work for you post delivery:
Dancing for half an hour a day has always worked for me, however the same did no good to my weight after I became a mother.
You must not focus on what used to work for you.
As a mom we learn to adapt. Adapting to the new situations, adapting to new scenarios and most importantly adapting to the new roles.
Since we are already on the Adapting phase, then why not be ok with your new body.
Post delivery Truth bomb #4 – Your post delivery body will be different:
Be prepared to welcome your new body with open arms. Post delivery you might observe a lot of changes- bigger breasts, thinner hair, bigger feet or wider hips… Prepare yourself to face this all.
Focus on what will be easier for you to change but don’t forget to embrace the current body.
Post delivery Truth bomb #5 – You would have to focus on eating right and exercising:
I never realised the importance of being active. Over the years I have understood that it is vital to combine healthy eating with Exercise.
Please remember to Exercise the way you feel comfortable and not the way other people around you are doing it.
If walking for 30 minus a day makes you happy, do it!
If running is your thing, do it!
If you feel swimming is what you could do comfortably, do it!
Just follow your heart and do what makes you healthy!
Post delivery Truth bomb #6 – The tigress got her stripes:
Say hello to your stretch marks! You might come across women who don’t have a single stretch mark and then you see these marks all over your belly.
Don’t worry if you feel you are the only one who got these stretch marks. Your baby is in your life and it because of you.
I know the frustration, but I know how liberating it can be to simply accept it. Your stretch Marks tell the tale of your victorious delivery!
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take care of them and moisturize your body in those areas. You must try to watch your weight so these stretch marks don’t grow.
But don’t forget to love your post baby body and embrace it.
Post delivery Truth bomb #7 – Other mothers might feel and look better than you:
I won’t lie! This truth is extremely hard to swallow.
But I’m glad I got over this feeling soon enough.
We must understand that everyone has their own way to deal with things. Just the way others won’t go through what you did, you wouldn’t go through what others did.
Believe me! If someone is doing better than you, then even you are doing better than someone for sure.
Don’t ever compare your kids, body or situation to that of others.
Read: FUN MEMORIES ARE WHAT YOUR CHILD’S MEMORY BANK NEEDS
It’s ok to feel disappointed but we must not dwell on it too much.
Adapting and embracing is the key!
Your post delivery body won’t change with a snap of your fingers. Your body went through a lot.
Please don’t overly push yourself to look like how you looked before having a baby, because in this case it might negatively affect your life.
You might feel like a stranger in your body. But accepting the new you would definitely help you feel more confident and good about yourself.
And trust me, you will meet a happier you.
Is there any other post delivery body truth that you experienced?
What are your thoughts on this?
I love to hear!
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Much love,
Preetjyot Kaur
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I completely identify with this! The first time i saw myself in the mirror post-delivery was such a rude shock! Another thing i can add here is for women who have C-sections- they are left with a scar and a flap of loose skin known as the “mummy’s apron”! Yuck!
Gosh! I didn’t know there was a term for this. Totally insane!
Adapting and embracing is the key! thats the mantra. Post delivery body may look strange but we need to love this ‘new-me’. Its not a joke to have another human being growing inside us. Infant we should be proud of ourselves.
I totally second you Alpana. WE must not be too hard on ourselves. Giving birth to a baby is no joke.
Such a positive post filled with so many good advice. Yes after delivery women go through various physical, mental, emotional changes and this thing may affect their self Esteem too. Avoid comparison and take baby steps in positive direction always work great for me. As you said we all have our own way of dealing things and things may work differently for us compare to others.
So well said Surbhi. I am so happy to know that our thoughts resonate on this.
Though i was too stubborn to accept my flabby body after delivery, i am with whoever wants to accept their body the way it is. But doing something about it is better than getting into depression because of it.
Absolutely Cindy. If something bothers you so much, you must work towards it but at the same time its important not to be too hard on yourself.
I am into this phase right now. Even though my son is turning one soon but still I’m not back to what I used to be. At times I feel bad but I know it’s not gona last forever and that out of the mess I’ve got two beautiful kids. Great blogpost Preetjyot!
I know this feeling Seema. Thanks for stopping by..
What a beautiful and positive post this is. I believe, many of the moms out there would resonate with this thought process and would have gone through the similar kind of experiences. It is only us who can bring changes in our mindset and there should be no shame in taking professional help if things start to feel go out of hand 🙂
Thanks Kavita. You rightly said that we must take professional help if we see things geting out of our control.
I loved reading this. Post my pregnancy specially the 2nd one, my body changed and it’s been 4 yrs n yes every body is nt same nor is ones life n comforts so I am still in the same body and struggling to shed weight. Hopefully one day my body will be the one that I loved.
I get you Hansa. I really feel it’s more in our head. Things can turn around if we start embracing our body the way it is. Wanting to shed weight to feel fitter is great, however the process shouldn’t affect our mental health.
Very true there used to be so many changes and what I learned is we need to accept it as its a new normal and new person all together we become. Loved your article
Thanks Ruchi
There’s so much positivity in your post, Preet. We are no longer the same person once we become a mother and it takes a lot of adjustment to accept this new version of ourself. The sooner we accept the truths, the sooner we adjust & accept.
Thanks Neha. I just feel that the real truth bombs must be taken about more, so the new mothers are prepared mentally for what could be coming their way.
The biggest truth bomb was bleeding for almost 45 days!!!!! Please that was horrible, why wasn’t I prepared for that!!!
I so wish I had an answer. I really feel we need to talk often about PPD often so the new moms know what could be coming up their way.
Truly said. All women go through this phase and they feel depressed and lost. That’s very motivating and learning things from your experience
Thanks for stopping by Bushra