Do You Have the Mom Body?

What exactly is the "mom body"? Well, it’s pretty simple really: it’s the body almost any woman has after pregnancy. It’s the stretch marks. It’s a little or maybe a lot of extra around the middle. It’s the super stretched out skin. Maybe it’s the continuation to look pregnant even though your last child was born years ago. It’s the body that brought the miracle of life into the world, and, for a lot of us, it’s also the body that’s completely different from when we were younger. It’s a body that has possibly caused us to lose our self-confidence.

After three pregnancies, my abdominal muscles are essentially nonexistent and my skin is super stretched out. Everything kind of just hangs out in front so that I continue to look pregnant in almost everything I wear. It can be really embarrassing and really disconcerting, especially when doing things like going out for drinks or buying new clothes. It’s been ten years since I gave birth to my first child and I still haven’t quite figured out how to dress this new body of mine. I often feel like a slob, wearing clothes that are ill-fitting, or showing up everywhere in sweats or leggings. Thinking that all people see is this chubby slob of a mom.

After all this time, I’ve finally realized that not everyone sees you the way you see you. I’ve learned a couple things recently about how to boost my self-confidence and just feel better about myself in general.

First, it may seem simple enough but isn’t always so, is confidence, even if you have to fake it til you make it. Walking tall with your head held high and your shoulders back gives you an air of confidence and can help to make you feel more so. Plus walking and standing tall and straight can help with the look of a little pudginess or that baby bump looking belly.

Second, if you’re like me, you may care a little too much about what other people think of you. That, in turn, causes your self-confidence to plummet and doubts to set in. Now I know it’s a lot easier said than done, but try not to let those thoughts in. Stop thinking about what other people think of you. You have no idea what is going through another person’s mind. Any number of all the people you see any given day may think you are the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen, and others not so much. But you know what? That’s okay, you don’t find every single person you see attractive either. Remember, the people who matter, your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, your kids and your friends, they think you are beautiful. They see you for you and not all the flaws you may think you have.

Third, think outside the box and step out of your comfort zone. I had a really hard time with this at first. Never wanting to pick out or try on certain styles of clothing or new and different looks because I automatically assumed it would not work for me and I was afraid of being disappointed and feeling worse off than I already did. Then one day that all changed. I signed up for a clothing subscription online and I started getting sent clothes that I never once in a million years would have thought to try on or pick out. And you know what? They looked fantastic. It really opened up my eyes and taught me that I didn’t have to “learn to dress” this body of mine. I just need to keep an open mind and try on anything and everything. You need to step outside your comfort zone and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much more comfortable you can be if you do.

All these things together have really helped me to feel better and feel more confident. They’ve taught me that it doesn’t matter how you look or what size you are. Our bodies have done amazing things and nothing should be able to take away the pride or happiness we feel for bringing a child into the world. So own that mom body of yours and you’ll shine all the more brilliantly for it.