I remember seeing a pregnant woman at the airport when I was about 8 or 9. At first I saw her sitting at a table, so I didn't see her belly. But by her face alone, I knew she was pregnant. She had this look of discomfort, of water retention, of just being miserable. While she stuffed her face with a Mcsomething..but hey, most people tend to look that way when they eat something like that, even not being pregnant ;)
This very vivid experience with seeing a pregnant stranger stuck with me for a long time. I grew up (like most girls) thinking about how being pregnant is the time to let go, eat whatever you want and be expected to gain a bunch of weight but no could dare say anything to you. I spent way more time worrying about what my figure would turn into during the early part of my pregnancy than I should have. I made my closest friends promise to be honest with me and tell me if I ever got fat in the face..
But I very, very quickly got over that. As soon as the first trimester was over and I actually had a choice in what I wanted to eat, I educated myself on organic and natural options. I gave up my beloved ramen, canned foods, sugary options (well, most - I just couldn't break up with chocolate) and switched to organic milk, eggs, veggies and fruits, cooked as much as I could from scratch, learned how to bake bread. I tried to cut as many preservatives out of my diet as possible. This paved the way for my health, our baby's, and ultimately my entire family's.
After living this lifestyle for a year, I feel great. I am not "that girl" who obsesses or congratulates herself over and over again about weight loss bc it doesn't matter anymore to me. A number doesn't matter. Not the lbs, not the pants size. I'm eating healthy and staying active. What I'm happy and proud of is exlusively bf'ing my daughter for over 5 months and going strong. Beating the statistics. And yes, that choice has paid off in weight loss for me as well.
{Soapbox warning} So yea, I'm thinner than what I was before getting pregnant, by about 5-7 lbs. But I'm also squishy in new places (I like to think of it as perfect landing spots for my little one's head to rest). My body will never be the same. And that's something to be proud of. I don't want it to ever be the same - my body represents the sacrifice and miracle of creating life. I've nourished another person, my body is a source of comfort. I've earned my mama body, and I wouldn't trade it for the sexiest bikini in the world. But it would be nice to find one that works! ;)
ps- Are we friends on facebook? We should be.
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