5 Tips When Navigating Body Changes in Pregnancy and Postpartum
A great deal of change takes place during pregnancy and postpartum. Whether change feels good or bad, it always requires some effort in adapting. To most of us, consistency feels safe and secure. When things change quickly, it takes some time for us to adapt and feel comfortable in this change. One aspect of pregnancy and postpartum is the change that takes place in the body. So much change, that it creates a noticeable difference in appearance. This can be exciting as well as challenging. It’s important that we honor both feelings as they are natural responses to quick changes.
Body changes during pregnancy and postpartum may be more difficult to adapt to if you’ve had a history of disordered eating, challenges with body image, or close attachment to the appearance of your pre-pregnancy body. This can be further impacted by your awareness of society ideals as it pertains to appearance and the judgments you have perceived from others throughout your life. There are many factors that contribute to how you cope with these changes.
Here are five tips to help you navigate body changes in pregnancy and postpartum:
You are allowed to feel any way about your changing body
It is important to acknowledge the challenge that may come from existing in a changing body and what it may bring up for you emotionally. It is entirely okay to feel any way you do about these changes. You may feel great about these changes one day and then have a hard time with them the next. You may feel both gratitude and annoyance. These varying feelings can coexist and can allow for healing when they are able to surface and receive validation. What is pivotal in these moments, is responding to those feelings with compassion rather than criticism. We want to honor the feelings that come up and show grace for the challenges they present without casting blame and judgment. In this space of compassion, it is much easier to clearly see what is in your power to change and what will be powerful to let go of.
2. Shift your focus towards what your body is doing vs. what it looks like
What you focus on can greatly impact how you feel. While it’s important to acknowledge how you feel about your appearance, it doesn’t mean you need to stay stuck there. Oftentimes, this fixation will lead to a cycle that negatively impacts the mind. What can be helpful is redirecting your focus after validating your feelings.
Let’s take a moment to absorb the reality of what your body is doing. It’s growing a human from scratch! From the smallest of cells to a baby composed of functioning organs, arms, legs, fingers, and toes! Just as your body has the intelligence to create this life, it also has the intelligence to change and adapt to support this. As you notice a part of your body changing, it will be important to recognize the wisdom your body holds and how this change in appearance is purposeful.
You may want to download an app that can share weekly updates on the growth of your baby so that you have a greater awareness of the work your body is doing every moment of the day. Your body is working so hard.
As it pertains to postpartum, it is just as, if not more important, to remind yourself of the work and adaptation your body did to grow and birth a baby. If you are breastfeeding, your body is working hard to create a food source for your baby. Regardless of your feeding method, your body is working hard to support this new life through interrupted sleep, holding, feeding, changing, and soothing your baby. On top of this, your body is healing. It’s figuring out how to shift organs back into place and how to realign without a baby taking up space in the inside. It needs time to heal and adapt to this new lifestyle. Your body continues to work hard long into postpartum.
3. Separate from the pressure of body ideals in society
Pregnancy and postpartum involve changes that are unique to each person as their body adapts to create and nourish new life. We currently have a greater ease of access to comparison than ever before through television and social media. It’s hard to not get lost in the comparison trap when these visuals are ever so present in your life. This comparison can make this time harder as each body adapts differently to the demands of pregnancy and postpartum.
Striving for a particular body type can create a great amount of stress. These body types are often “sold” by offering a certain diet, workout, or supplement that will help you achieve this particular look. It’s important to keep in mind that your body is unique to you and may not align with the temporary ideals being sold.
Within pregnancy there is weight gain. This is healthy for both mom and baby. A certain pressure exists in our society to only gain this weight in certain areas of the body. This is definitely something that you don’t have control over. Your body won’t let you dictate where it gains weight and where it doesn’t.
What is often helpful during this time is to redirect thoughts. When we place all of our energy into what we can’t control, it’s exhausting. Instead of the focus being on trying to achieve a particular look, let's switch the focus to how you can best support your body.
Tune into your body. Ask yourself these questions: What am I craving? Am I nourishing myself with food to provide energy and stamina? What movements feel good to me right now? Do I need gentle movement or something more invigorating?
Your needs may change. It’ll be important to engage in this practice regularly so that you are continuing to give your body what it needs.
4. Embrace the new vs. trying to get back to the old
While there has been much push back against the phrase “get your body back” (yayyy!), mother’s often continue to feel this pressure after giving birth. It is important to remind yourself of all that your body just did to grow and change. Those changes can’t simply be undone. They served a purpose and it will forever change your body in certain ways. Some of these changes may be changes you like and others may take some time to mentally adjust to.
Holding yourself to pre-pregnancy standards after experiencing pregnancy will create a lot of stress. You’ll find it much more advantageous to work towards building a relationship with your new body. This does not mean that your body will stay like this forever. Change is constant and this applies to your body size and shape as well. As you grow, evolve and mature, so does your body.
Building a new relationship with your evolving body takes time. It may require effort in curiosity and compassion as you learn new information about yourself. You may move differently than before. The changes you’ve experienced may warrant different clothes. Pre-pregnancy outfits that no longer fit will be much better off being passed on rather than staring you down in your closet. It’s time to make room for this new version of yourself. You’re allowed to grieve what you miss. You can grieve your old body while working towards embracing the new.
5. Prepare for comments
There is the chance that you won’t experience any comments on your body or appearance throughout pregnancy and postpartum, but I have yet to hear of this being the case! While the majority of people have good intentions, these comments often do little good-even when complimentary.
Comments about your body can be triggering and if this is the case, it’ll be helpful to prepare. While it would be wonderful to not experience this trigger, we can’t control what others do or say. What is within your power is how you respond. With awareness as to what can be triggering, there will be time to process and identify how you’d like to respond. Maybe you’d like to establish a boundary around this topic. Maybe you’d like to practice internal affirmations of body positivity while redirecting the conversation. You get to choose what will work best for you.
In addition to handling these comments in the moment, it can also be helpful to find support in this and know that you’re not alone. Talk to friends or family who have experienced statements on their appearance during pregnancy and postpartum. Recognize the pervasiveness of this so that it doesn’t feel like you’re the only one being targeted. While hurtful, these statements do not define your worth. Connect with those friends on the feelings they evoke. This will encourage feelings of empathy and connection, which will ultimately reduce feelings of shame and allow you to externalize the problem.
When your body changes during pregnancy and postpartum, it can be difficult to adjust to. You’re continuously adapting to new spatial awareness, physical discomfort, and the pressure you potentially feel from the expectations of those around you. Most helpful in these moments is separating yourself from the pressure to look a certain way and offer yourself compassion. Remind yourself how hard your body is working, that you cannot control how your body responds, and that your value in this world is far deeper than your appearance.
Supporting You,
