My body changed a HELL of alot in nine months. It all got bigger and jigglier and stretch marky-er. Of course I know im not the only one, even though sometimes it can really feel like you are when all you see on social media is perfectly rounded and clear pregnant tums.
People say 'love your stretch marks' and ' look at what they've created' and I think thats a good way to look at it. Doesn't make it easier for me though to love them though! Even though I try. I don't love them, but I have learnt to accept that they ain't going no where so I might as well focus on improving other things about myself, but I still get them days where I look in the mirror and think god, I didn't even know you could get stretch marks there. I have a baby-less friend who when I wouldn't let see my tummy now I'm a mum said , well didn't you use stretch mark cream?!
O M G
Seriously? Do you say to people who have acne don't you use spot cream? Of course I did - it didn't help what so ever ( or maybe it did - they might have been worse for all I know if I hadn't) but if it worked like magic no one would ever get them would they? I let the comment go - it wasn't intended in a nasty way, probably just naive like I was before babies about body changes. Comments like that do play on your mind but you have to take them in your stride. People, even those who are friends and family,will always make comments on things when you have a baby whether thats about you or parenting tips (don't we all love them when we haven't asked) but the best thing I've learnt to do is ignore it.
When I was pregnant I got bad swelling everywhere, I mean c'mon WHY?!! My face looked like I'd had some bad fillers or something, and you could barely see the outline of my feet. Me and my partner used to laugh about it and make light of it (he's a good egg) thankfully that did disappear as soon as I had the baby, but to this day I seriously die a little inside to see myself in my baby shower photos. However my tummy did not disappear. Six months later and thats still a work in progress. But I have faith that one day I will return to my pre baby weight. I put on roughly two stone over my pregnancy and it was everywhere, and the stretch marks pretty much went everywhere too. But the best bit about it being jigglier everywhere? We can change it. Whether we choose to do it immediately after the birth, six months or two years later if you want to you can do it.
I swear some things are just different after the birth. I used to have oily skin and now its dry. Fine apart from all my make up is tailored to oily skin. I think if i put on my benefit matt rescue now I would dry up completely. My rings didn't fit from about 30 weeks pregnant and they still don't fit. (Sorry JP for making you buy me a Pandora ring on my birthday that fit for approx five mins)
I think if my pre pregnant self had read this she would have cried and thought twice about getting pregnant, but the funny thing is my mum self sits here, and although I don't feel happy about it I just don't care as much. It is worth it without a doubt. It not always easy when I feel like an elephant, granted, but I'd rather be an elephant and Rosie's mum than anything else.
Its also VERY VERY easy to fall into 'mumsy'ness. You don't shave your legs, when's the last time you had a haircut? or even properly brushed it for that matter? Remember how you used to get your nails done? and now you no longer have the time/money or inclination to do so. The list goes on. I have been there. I'm probably still there in some respects but im trying to claw my way out. I hadn't had my hair cut since before Rosie and I did the other day and already feel more like myself. I brought a new nail varnish so im going to do them nicely myself. Its the little things that can get you back to feeling more like your old non parent self and you really really do need to feel like that sometimes. Even though you'll probably just scroll through your photo album on your phone with your freshly done nails looking at pics of your little one...
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| Above shoulder selfies only for now! Rosie at about 2/3 months |
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