They say motherhood is the best thing that can ever happen to you. But can we say the same about our post-partum mombods? Weight gain, stretch marks, dark pigmentation on the neck, underarms, and down there, plus mommy pooch, bigger feet, bad posture, leaky breasts… ah the list goes on! Pregnancy changes us and leaves our bodies tired and not the same as before. The insecurities may eat you up alive.
For my first pregnancy, I remember being really insecure. More than the health considerations, the main reason for being conscious was I didn’t want to look big and fat (even if it was inevitable!). For my second pregnancy, I admit to being more relaxed about my diet but more intentional in honoring my body and appreciating it just as it is. I gave birth unmedicated and I personally witnessed how amazing our bodies are as women and mothers.
If we can go beyond the physical changes in our mombods and learn more about our amazing bodies, we can learn how to better celebrate our mombods. Here are five awesome reasons why your mombod rocks:
1. Your mombod can carry and nourish another human being.
Need I say more? If you haven’t found the time to appreciate your uterus and the rest of your bod, now is the time. Your uterus is an amazing organ. It is the only organ that can stretch to the size of a watermelon to accommodate a baby. It is also the only organ that can create another organ that will nurture and feed a baby inside you – the placenta. In nine months, a mom’s body changes to provide what the baby needs – and that is a miracle in and of itself.
And during childbirth? Your mombod knows how to bring the baby out with each wave of labor pain dilating, effacing and lastly pushing the baby out.
2. Your mombod literally produces your baby’s perfect food.
Breastmilk provides all the nutrients and antibodies a newborn baby needs. When your baby’s saliva meets the mother’s breasts, breastmilk composition will also change to adapt to the baby’s changing needs. This way, a mom’s milk is always perfectly designed to meet a baby’s nutritional needs. How awesome and convenient is that?
3. Your mombod can heal and recover from pregnancy and childbirth.
Pregnancy is a marathon and childbirth is the excruciating last mile. And while athletes have recovery time, mothers have to heal and recover while taking care of a newborn enduring sleepless nights and back pains from breastfeeding. While the fourth trimester life happens, the mom’s body is also busy repairing any tears or injuries, and the uterus is also working hard to shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size.
4. Your mombod can soothe your baby.
Mombods are made of magic. Skin to skin contact with your baby helps improve oxygen saturation, regulates infant’s body temperature and stabilizes heart and respiratory rates. They even say that kissing your baby on the head or face is beneficial as the physical contact sends a signal to the mom’s body of the pathogens on the baby’s face so that mom’s breastmilk can adjust to baby’s new needs. Ah-mazing.
5. Your mombod has the power of intuition.
Do you believe in mother’s instinct? It is an incredible mom’s connection with her child that enables her to sense her baby’s needs, emotions and well-being. Sometimes, a mom just knows and there’s no explanation how or why. We just do.
These are just five reasons but I'm sure you can come up with more. The more we honor and appreciate our mombods, the better we see how amazing it is. The next time you judge your mombod for how it looks (especially this summer), I hope you remember these five reasons why your mombod rocks and thank your body for a job well done! Your mombod deserves it.
Need a reminder? Check out our mombod and proud products in Studio Maria!
