Like many women, I have not always had a good relationship with my body. At times, I’ve really hated it, and throughout my adolescence and early adulthood, I often felt at war with it. To be entirely honest, I still dislike my body sometimes, but having experienced the thrills and challenges of childbirth and motherhood, I find it much more difficult to be angry with my body now. It has endured too much, survived too much, given too much, and loved too much.
The term “Dad Bod” is mostly associated with laziness, whether dads deserve that or not. But a “Mom Bod” is different. It comes from a lot of hard work, yet we don’t see it that way. When I look in the mirror now, I still feel the temptation to catalog my faults. But I know that each flaw is actually a witness to the lives I’ve created and care for every day. Have you considered the gifts behind these 5 mom bod “flaws?”
1. Stretch Marks
They are a testimony that I offered my body as a vessel for the growth of my children. They are reminders that my body was my children’s first home, the first place they were loved and embraced. I carried my babies in my body, below my heart, for nine months before I carried them in my arms. My arms might one day forget the weight of carrying my infant children, but stretch marks serve as a reminder of those months I carried my children inside me.
2. The Shadows Under My Eyes
My tired eyes are a testimony that I give all of myself to my children out of love every day. From the moment I open my eyes every morning to the moment they close at night, I am living a life filled with love, activity, excitement, and very little downtime. The bags under my eyes are proof that the full life of a mother can be exhausting, even without newborns who wake throughout the night.
3. That Extra Baby Weight
The weight is testimony that I must be as gentle with myself as I am with my children. After the births of my children, I frequently reminded myself that it had taken 10 months to put the weight on, so I should give myself at least 10 months to get it off. I say “at least” because life with a child is much more chaotic than life was without one. At the end of a long day, we might not have time to work out as much as we would like, but that means that there’s just a bit more of us for our children to love, hug, and snuggle.
When women start talking about body issues, the conversation gets interesting. It did on the iMOM Podcast. “Don’t Fear the Mom Bod” is one episode you need to hear if you struggle to love the body motherhood has given you.
4. My Widened Hips
My hips are testimony that I had the strength to carry and give birth to my children. Though they’ve changed the way my jeans fit, they’ve also made carrying my children so much easier. My children fit so perfectly on my hips. My hips are a daily reminder that my children continue to find their home with me.
5. The Scars
I’ve acquired some scars throughout my two pregnancies, but they are proof of my strength and the depth of my love for my children. They are a reminder of the sacrifices I’ve made. These sacrifices brought sleepless nights, baby weight, and more joy than I could have imagined. These scars have made me stronger, more loving, gentler, and more confident now that I’ve embraced them.
What part of your mom bod are you going to try to embrace?
