Postpartum

Why is it that during pregnancy we cherish and nurture our bodies needs for ourselves and our growing little ones, then once we give birth that all seems to fly out the window? I am a Class A example of what it's like to forget to love yourself after you have a baby, and let me tell you.. I regret every moment that I spent in that mindset.

I was told while pregnant with my son that I was young enough that I would just "bounce right back" and that if I was to breastfeed that I would just "shed the weight". Welp. I didn't. Being young nor breastfeeding helped me worth a dime and I got to a point where I removed all the mirrors from my home.

There are three major flaws with the story I just shared and let me tell you why. First, the obvious, I didn't to a darn thing to help my body after being pregnant. My diet went back to the cruddy food I was used to being able to get away with eating and realized that my new found mom bod didn't appreciate my lack of knowledge on nutritional foods. Truly, it wasn't until I was pregnant with Colbie and diagnosed with GD that I was better able to grasp what nutritional really entailed. I wasn't giving my body what it needed to provide for myself and my son all day every day and there was no way I was going to be able to fall back into old habits after now having myself and two children to look after!

Second flaw, less obvious. Postpartum success IS NOT based on weight loss alone. GASP! I know it's hard to believe but if you base all of your success on trying desperately to get back to where you started just know you could wind up extremely disappointed. Why? Because no matter how much wieght you lose or gain, no matter what creams you use or tricks you try you will never be back where you started because your body can never undo the miracle that it just went through! My hips will forever be bigger than they were before I had babies - because they had to stretch in order to carry them, there's no undoing that. I will always pee a little when I sneeze - because my babies took a toll on my bladder, and that's okay. In the same way my personality, goals, dreams, morals and values have all changed and the thing is every part of me has changed for the better because of my babies. I will most likely never weigh what I did before I had Carter and that is okay because my body isn't meant to be like that anymore. The term "mom bod" is something to be proud of, something that so many woman would love to say about themselves and can't. Find your happy healthy medium and wear it with pride.

The third flaw, I never thanked my body. I never took the time to look at myself and realize that my body did something incredible. Thank you for making space, thank you for carrying two healthy children and nurturing them completely, thank you for the miracle that is motherhood. Without this body there is no Carter, and there is no Colbie. Without this body there is no me. The ability to carry a child is so unseen and under valued in this day in age, when did it stop becoming a miracle and start becoming an inconvenience. If I asked any mother whether she wished she could get rid of her permanent "pooch" more than she wanted the child in her arms she would laugh at me. I think we all need to take a moment and thank ourselves for what it is our bodies have allowed us to do.

What did we do differently this time:

This time around town I invested in my postpartum experience and it has been nothing shy of bliss. I had my placenta encapsulated - helping my milk supply, bettering my mood (extremely), helping me have the energy to tackle being a mother of two. I also invested in the Benkung Belly binding experience and the benefits are unlike any other. I have always seen postpartum belly binders but once I learned that it all stemmed from the ancient Chinese practice of benkung belly binding I knew exactly what route I would be taking. This involves an extremely long piece of muslin fabric that (with help) is wrapped around a woman;s belly 2-3 days post vaginal delivery or 2-3 weeks post cesarean. It helps speed up postpartum bleeding, aids in nursing posture, and helps the muscles that were so stretched out mend themselves.

I invested in a postpartum meal and work out plan involving easy, light exercises that would keep my mind in the mood to better my body (meal and diet plan by @purefitpurefood). We were sure to get all the baby gear that was necessary to involve the children on walks during the cold and rainy season in the Pacific Northwest.

And I thank my body. For all that it went through to provide me with two beautiful children. It's shocking to see what a difference your attitude alone can make. Postpartum is hard, emotions run wild and the exhaustion is real. But loving yourself any less for the miracle you just accomplished makes no sense.

- T

| Placenta Pills and Benkung Binding by : @urbanearthbaby |