Are stretch marks, cellulite, fat and haemorrhoids normal to occur during pregnancy? Yes. Are they beautiful? No.
Don’t hate me just yet. Hear me out. I am under the impression that we keep lying to ourselves, that we’re being fed bullshit by social media. So, what is the truth about mombod?
Yes, my body grew a baby, yes I pushed a 35 cm wide head through 10 cm whole. The most amazing thing ever. Sure. But it doesn’t make the fat hanging down from my bum amazing.
Pregnancy is a miracle of life. Yes, it’s the most beautiful thing that can ever happen even if you vomit and faint for the whole 9 months. It is truly indescribably beautiful that a woman can grow a baby inside her body. Does it make her body beautiful? It’s at least debatable.
Social media campaigns might help a few women when it comes to accepting their new looks. But for how long will they feel better? A month? A week? Or until they see a friend from antenatal class who already lost her pregnancy weight? Or just until they undress?
Those who feel good in their bodies no matter how they look, will remain feeling good (you rock girls!). Those who genuinely don’t care, don’t need any convincing (you rock, too!).
Then what about those who are bothered (just so you know ladies: you rock!)?
Pregnancy changes our bodies. It’s obvious. You look the way you look and it’s OK. You’ve just had a baby! You’ve just spent 9 months growing another human being! ANOTHER. HUMAN. BEING. It would be at least disturbing if nothing had changed!
So don’t stress over your pregnancy weight too much, and don’t go into extremes. But when you don’t feel good about yourself CHANGE IT!
The common misconception is to treat a pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever, whenever. A pregnant woman doesn’t need twice as much food as before the pregnancy. Also to think that if one craves 10 croissant, then surely their body needs 10 croissants, is just another excuse or, ehem, a lie.
Another excuse is to blame looks on pregnancy 1 year post-partum or later. C’mon!
While there is not much that can be done about stretch marks, there’s A LOT that can be done with all the rest! Why there is so little about modern food habits? Why nutritional education is still only crawling, when we know more and more that food is crucial to our health. Not to produce overly paranoid about food generation, just the one that is food-concious.
Why re those who advocate proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles seen as weirdos, witches, or crazy, or perfect people with untrue lives? Bullshit.
I wish for a campaign showing women that proper food is not always expensive, that eating something else than take out and pasta is not complicated at all, that healthy and yummy do go together, that it takes 15 minutes of exercise a day without joining any gym to feel good, and to look good.
Patting each others backs has a limit, won’t take us anywhere in the long run. Obesity is not funny or normal, nor is diabetes, nor is inability to catch a breath or run. This should be changed, women should take care of themselves more. As mothers, we set examples to our children, we are their role models.
If you feel good inside your body – great! That’s really awesome! But if you don’t please don’t buy that feminist crap about man forcing us to look like Barbies – bullshit! I want to look good and feel good for myself, that’s my goal, and I’m not going to cry and whine. Instead, I will do something about it (next month though – now, I really need chocolate).
(This post originally ran on Milk, crafts and honesty)
About the author: Olga Sokolik is a Polish expat living in Switzerland. You can find her fighting absurdity, and writing honestly about motherhood, expat life and other annoying matters, over at Milk, crafts, and honesty. You can also find her on Facebook and posting pretty pictures to Instagram.
