As goal-oriented, driven people who are sometimes prone to perfectionism, body image can be a source of stress for many of us. Leave it to pregnancy to completely change mine!
I have always been known for my tall slenderness, a substantial part of my ego (for more on what makes up one’s ego and how to detach from it, I highly recommend readings by Eckhart Tolle). I would be lying if I said that I haven’t thought about how perception of my body (by others, by me) will change during this time, or about how hard it might be to return to a fitter state. Granted, at 17 weeks, I have only so far gone from this
to this
But I feel the change. I can only see part of my feet when I look down, and I’m sure they will be disappearing soon. My pants are tight, and my thighs are rubbing together. I have incredible fatigue that limits me from doing all but a fraction of my normal exercise volume, and what I do is done with great effort.
Yet I’ve never been more proud of my body as I am right now. Not even during my recovery from brain surgery. I love how it looks and I love what it can do. I love every protuberant curve, every tired muscle, every swollen joint. I’m growing a human being! There are two heartbeats inside of me! Everything I experience, she experiences as well. Although I feel weak a lot of the time, remembering this gives me incredible strength.
Hi Dawn: I am so very happy for you, your blog is a source of inspiration, I am also a BIG fan of Tolle, his book The Power of Now helped my family a lot
Thanks so much for your kind words! If you liked The Power of Now, I think you'd really enjoy A New Earth. The title is a little strange, but I liked it better than Power of Now.
Got it, also got this one
The Untethered Soul – The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm an MS4 with a sweet 3-month-old girl and found your blog through searches for mothers in medicine. I was very athletic previously and was surprised by my degree of pregnancy fatigue. Even before I became "big," I would get very winded walking up one flight of stairs, never mind trying to go for a run. I was actually very worried about this during my pregnancy, worried that I would never get back to my previous physical shape. In case you are having any similar fears, I wanted to share my experience that… 1. The fatigue gets better- measurably very soon after delivery, and then slowly but surely day by day after that. I went on a 7 mile run on Sunday. It was amazing- though admittedly still HARD. 2. Having the baby does not mean you immediately need to push your body for as quick a recovery as humanly possible. I was fortunate to have a relatively easy, uncomplicated vaginal delivery, and tried to start up running 2.5 weeks postpartum. This was too early and I believe it pushed my recovery back. Go easy on yourself with expectations. Let yourself heal and enjoy the baby and listen to your body. Best of luck- parenthood is amazing!
Your comment came at a perfect time, as I was just discussing with my husband how I have a slight background worry that my lack of motivation for exercise will remain after delivery. Thanks for providing inspiration!
Hey congratulations! It's really a strange feeling for a first time mother. Most of ladies like to take photos while at pregnancy, it gives them lots of happiness but the time period is not that smooth to go. At the flow of time you'll need more and more care of yourself and also of your baby too. The first thing is to find a good pediatrician, then after you need to follow a strict routine of diet and exercise. Work load should be vanished and you need to be stress-free always. Here are some minimum tips that you need to follow. Tips during Pregnancy. Glad that you share your happiness with us. God bless you.
Hi are using WordPress for your site platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get
started and create my own. Do you require any coding knowledge to make your own blog?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I do use WordPress now, but I used to use Blogger. I don’t have any coding experience, and it’s easy to figure out. Good luck!