Post Bod

This is a really hard topic for me to write about, having my first baby at 25, I went into pregnancy quite confident in my own skin, never thinking that I would feel any different.

In the past 5 years, my weight and sizing has flucated but I've been lucky, I have good genetics and I have always been in proportion. Big bum & thighs, with big boobs to even it out. I've come to love my body... I always felt confident in swimwear at the beach or with my husband.

During pregnancy they say about 12kg (26lbs) is the average weight gain for full term. Sadly I had quite a immobile pregnancy towards the end and gained a lovely 15kg (33lbs) which to be honest I'm really ok with.

Because I was breastfeeding I lost about 10kg within the first week or so after I had my son. The last 5kg hung around and was a bit harder to loose (put the tim tams down!). I was very lucky I didnt get many stretch marks during my pregnancy only about half a dozen on my muffin top area. So I thought I would just have the same body once I lost the baby weight.

Well I couldn't be more wrong.

I was surprised to realise, I now hated all my clothes, things I wore before I no longer feel good in, I put things on, look in the mirror and hate what I see, I wanted to get in the wardrobe and hide, never to return. I know I'm my worst critic and at times I think to myself why do I care so much what other people think of me, but there is so much pressure on how soon you bounce back to how you were. Well were all basically fucked, unless you have a plastic surgeon husband, It aint going to happen. Never the same.

I am back to my pre-baby weight of 69kgs (152lbs) Obviously my stomach & breasts are what have changed the most. I still have my booty and thats great because I fit into most of my old jeans, not my skinny skinny "aspire to" pants, but my non maternity ones.

But the stomach, the texture of the skin and everything has changed, my breasts after I stopped breast feeding have shrunk and the texture is completely different (just think juicy juicy rockmelons to sad avocados that's been in the fridge for 2 weeks ) but the sagging don't get me started on that! I could buy just the bottoms of a swim suit and save my self half the money and tuck my boobies in to be honest.

I know over time I will learn to love my new mum bod and it will take some adjusting to get my confidence back, you see women on the internet that part take in anti-body shaming campaigns and I wish I had the balls to be that confident in my own skin after having the baby. I say to myself I grew this little person inside of me, and although my hair is now falling out, one day ill be there again, but with little reminders of the beautiful time he was inside of me.

Hearing people say "oh you look great", "you dont even look like you have had a baby" is fantastic, but deep down inside I believe what they are saying is total bullshit, to be really honest there is only one person I actually care to hear it from. Self validation can be the hardest on people.

To any women out there who felt this way and are reading this, please comment on my instagram (@realaussiemumma) and share how you have come to accept and love who you are now and the body you have after babies..

KC xx

The day before I gave birth to 3 months post partum.

#pregnancy #birth #baby #body #bodyimage #confidence