Are you struggling to accept and embrace your new post-baby body? If so, you definitely aren’t alone!
These days, women are placed under a lot of pressure to constantly look their best. You’d think after just giving birth you’d be entitled to take a little time out and simply enjoy being a new mom. However, thanks to media coverage of hot celebrity moms stepping out just weeks after having their baby looking EXACTLY the same way they did before baby arrived, there is a pressure placed onto women to regain their pre-baby figure.
The trouble is, the reason these celebrities are pictured looking fantastic soon after the birth is because they have a team of experts around them. They have nannies, make-up artists, nutritionists and personal trainers. Many also choose to have cosmetic surgery right after giving birth (though some will never admit it!). They’re paid a lot to look a certain way and they’re blessed with both the time and the money to be able to focus on getting their pre-baby body back.
The average mom doesn’t have any of this so those first few months of parenthood are commonly spent feeling exhausted, run down and extremely stressed out! When you add the pressure to look good on top of all of the other responsibilities you have, it’s unsurprising you can end up feeling overwhelmed and hating your new body (even when you shouldn’t!)
If you’re struggling to accept your new look, below you’ll discover 10 ways to feel better about your post baby body right now.
1. Bring Out The Bronzer
A simple yet very effective tip to make you look and feel better is to bring out the bronzer. Applying a bit of bronze over the arms can apparently make them appear up to a massive 10 pounds lighter! It can also really help you to make the face look much more defined, just like contouring does.
Now, you don’t need to go mad with a powder bronzer here. Tinted lotion works just as well and it’s also much easier to apply. The extra glow it gives you will make you feel healthier as well as more attractive so if you’re looking for an instant confidence boost, bronzer is definitely worth a try!
2. Adjust Your Diet
One of the hardest things new moms struggle with is finding the time to eat a healthy, balanced diet. The first few months especially, tend to be a bit of a blur with many moms finding it difficult to find the time to shower, let alone cook healthy, nutritious meals. However, if you’re constantly reaching for fast, junk foods, you’re not only going to struggle to lose the weight, but you’ll also feel terrible.
By adjusting your diet to include healthy, wholesome foods, you’ll have more energy, your skin will glow and you’ll feel much happier about your body. While dietary changes alone won’t help you to shift the baby weight, they will prevent you gaining any more weight and help you feel more energized to work out.
3. Try Out Quick Hair Fixes
OK, so it’s not going to make you feel better about your body, but every woman knows the importance of a good hair day! So, on the days where you do feel miserable, try out a quick hair fix and you’ll instantly feel better.
There’s lots of ways you can make your hair look good even when you’re pushed for time. Washing it in the evening will save you time in the morning that can be spent straightening or curling the hair. Salt-spray can be used to instantly boost bed hair, while a ring or doughnut can be really handy for creating a quick up-do if you have longer hair.
4. Invest in Clothing Which Actually Fits
Are you still wearing your maternity clothes? If so, it’s time to invest in some new clothes which actually fit! Now, that’s not to say you can’t buy loose fitting clothing. In fact, it’s advisable you do wear something loose and comfortable. However, maternity clothes tend to be a little too big.
This isn’t going to make you feel good about your post-baby body so throw them out and buy clothes which fit better than your huge maternity ones! While every woman looks good in different types of clothing, there’s a few universal pieces you can invest in. Wrap dresses, button-down shirts and jeans which fit a little below you’re natural waistline are all great choices.
5. Make Sure You’re Wearing Comfortable Shoes
Heels may make you feel sexier, but in the early days of motherhood they’re not going to be very practical! Wearing comfortable, supportive shoes may not be sexy, but it can still make you feel good. Stick them on even when you’re just in the house and you’ll be surprised just how much you can get done.
There’s just something about wearing sneakers around the house which makes you feel more in control. It can motivate you to get the chores done and complete tasks much quicker. So how does this make you feel better about your body? Well, as you’re moving faster around the home, you’re getting a little cardio workout done. So, you’ll feel better both physically and mentally.
6. Have A Mini Make-Up Station For Quick Top-Ups
One of the main changes new moms find difficult to cope with is the lack of time to do their make-up the way they used to. It’s great for the first few months, and even a little liberating not worrying too much about how you look. However, if you used to wear a lot of cosmetics before you had your baby, one day you’re going to look into the mirror and not recognize yourself.
Some moms have come up with a great solution to this problem – a mini make-up station. All you need is a mirror and a few basic pieces of make-up such as mascara, lip gloss and powder. Place the mini station in the most used room of the house, such as the kitchen. Then, while you’re there spend literally a couple of minutes applying your basics and you’ll be amazed how much better about yourself you feel.
You might not have time to do a full makeover, but just a couple of minutes is all you need to look and feel a million times different.
7. Gradually Introduce Exercise Back Into Your Life
Exercise is by far the most effective way to regain your pre-baby body. However, you need to see it as more of a marathon than a sprint. Trying to get back into hour-long workouts can be daunting, and let’s face it, highly unrealistic! So, start by making small changes to your routine.
Start out by stretching and walking. You’ll need to wait for your doctor to clear you before you do more strenuous exercises. Once you have been given the all-clear, you can then start to increase the amount of activity you do. It could be a good idea to enroll in a post-baby workout which many gyms offer these days.
8. Consider Wearing Black
It may seem a little dull, but black clothing can be a godsend for new moms. It’s slimming, which is a compelling benefit in itself, and it’s also great at hiding stains. Provided spills are wiped up quickly, those inevitable stains which come frequently with parenthood, won’t be as much of an embarrassment.
You’ll also feel a lot more confident, modern and even a little edgy. Ultimately however, you should wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Let go of the rules and dress to make yourself feel good.
9. Set Yourself “Feel Good” Goals
Losing the baby weight can take a long time. Its estimated women should give it nine to twelve months after giving birth to expect to regain their pre-baby body. However, the time it takes can leave you feeling demotivated and even more depressed about your new body. So, setting yourself small, achievable goals is a great way to combat the issue.
Instead of setting yourself a main weight loss goal such as to lose all of the baby weight you’ve gained, set yourself a goal to lose a few pounds. This is much easier to achieve and when you tick it off, you can set another small goal. These smaller goals help to keep you motivated and show you that you are making progress. This alone can make you feel a lot better about yourself.
You can also use it to set other feel good goals such as paint your nails, have a haircut and enjoy a nice relaxing bath.
10. Turn Your Negative Thoughts Into Positive Ones
This is perhaps the most important tip on the list. While it’s understandable you may hate your current body due to feeling like you don’t measure up to today’s beauty standards, if you focus on that you’ll actually miss out on the positives your new body brings.
Learn to appreciate your new curvier figure and also appreciate what your body has achieved. It carried another human in there and helped you to bring your beautiful baby into the world. It’s bound to look different and that’s not a bad thing! So, go easier on yourself and try not to get too caught up in how you wish your body looked. Every time you think something negative, turn it into a positive body image statement.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be difficult adjusting to the changes in your body but the tips above can really help. Above all else, remember – your baby doesn’t stay little for long. You have years to focus on your appearance and to achieve the body you want. Don’t waste those precious early months with your baby consumed with how you look.
While I like pretty much all of these tips, I think the best one is the last and definitely most important one. Keeping positive and having an optimistic outlook can drastically change everything from how you look to how you feel. Starting here is the best advice I was ever given. Once that’s down, it makes things like positive diet and exercise changes that much easier!
I agree with you, LesMama. Having a positive outlook would influence everything — from what we do to what we feel. If we have a positive outlook, everything would fall into place and we can achieve our goals. Having a positive outlook is particularly important because it would help avoid post partum depression.
I’ve seen men complain about their women not being able to look fabulous as usual immediately after giving birth to their new babies and I think it is down to these women not applying these amazing tips you wrote above. Adjusting diet is one sure, as you rightly pointed out, women that gave birth could use to ensure that they don’t add enough fat when they are nursing their babies. Sadly, most women here in Nigeria do not have that in mind and eat as they like once they’ve given birth.
Another point which you mentioned that caught my interest is the issue of not exercising or trying to put the body under some kind of fitness exercises by these women. If they could exercise, no matter how little time spent, I think it would go a long way in making them look fit and charming in the eyes of their husbands. I really learnt so much from these tips and it is one I would be taking about with my fiance later in the day.
It’s quite difficult for a woman who gave birth to gain back her pre-pregnancy body in a short span of time. It would take a lot of effort and will power really. But it is not impossible. It’s important to have determination to achieve a fit body again.
This tips is useful for the mommies out there specially the new moms. This is practical advises easy to do, Don’t ever imitate the celebrities, be practical don’t spend your money/savings just to look sexy again for spending it to expensive cosmetics and operations. About the issue of “the husband thing”, some says that your husband will love you less because of your look after giving birth. That is ridiculous! that’s just a part of “till death do us part” that you promise to one other on the day of your weeding. I do believe your husband will love you more! Just be filled with confidence and also you must do the right thing to be a new mom and a loving and gorgeous wife
Very kind words coming from you, jose. It gives a woman reason to be confident with her body after giving birth. Not everyone is open-minded like you.
And you’re so right about not imitating the celebrities who flaunt their post-baby bodies because they have money to pay for stuff that would make them sexy and fit again. I would say being that way is a requirement in their kind of work so they really have to stay fabulous, otherwise, they would no longer be getting projects. It’s all about the physical appearance.
I agree with the last comment. It’s quiet difficult for a woman to regain her pre-pregnancy body back after giving birth…it really takes alot of determination. Most women just give up after delivery ending up with excess fat.
I came across an article once showing a survey which states that 80% of married man who cheat on their wives blame it on after birth physical changes…”the woman in the house isn’t who I got married to, she’s gotten too fat”. I only wish mothers could read this piece and work towards the tips especially the tip on wearing black oftenly when nursing a child.
I totally agree with you that a woman should do her best to get back in shape after giving birth. Sad to say, not many have enough will power to do so, or they may have become too busy with the demands of parenthood that they totally neglect themselves. But of course, this is not healthy. A woman should take care of herself, too, not only of her husband and baby.
It’s sad to know that 80% of men who cheat do it because their partner has changed physically after giving birth. Kind of unfair for women whose husband became fat themselves but accept and love them as they are (although there are also women who cheat because their partners are no longer fit and fab). This reminds me of a quote I’ve read related to cheating: “If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it’s because they take better care of it.”
Embracing post baby body is difficult for many mothers considering that it would usually be too different from their normal body. This is the time where insecurities could reach a peak which could lead to depression if not handled well, and without a good support system. One thing that could make matters worse for them is seeing news about these celebrities having their perfect bodies after only about three months giving birth. People tend to forget that these models and actresses have tons of money to spend on a fitness instructors or undergo plastic surgeries.
The tips you’ve given here especially turning negative thoughts into positive ones and “feel good” goals, are really important for moms to realize, especially the first time ones, because they have the most new things to get used to. Postpartum depression must be prevented and the best way to do this is to appreciate what they have in the present.
Simple tip such as wearing black and exercising are pretty good advises too. Not only would they make these moms more comfortable, but also more confident about themselves and their bodies.
You’re right — embracing our post-baby body is difficult especially if you do not have the support you need. It could really lead to a lot of insecurities and depression, particularly so if you have a partner who married you not for your inner beauty but for your physical appearance. So sad but it’s true…
That is why it is important to always think positive and be confident because things will turn out just fine if you believe it will.
When I gave birth to my firstborn son, I was able to regain my pre-pregnancy body by breastfeeding and exercise as well. If I bumped some of my friends in the grocery store they will approach me saying “looks like you didn’t bore a child”. Well, ofcourse I feel flattered and happy about it. But after 8 years when I gave birth to my second child, I become pudgy and even I do exercise I can’t get rid of my belly fat.
After reading this blog, for me, number 10 is the best advice “Turn Your Negative Thoughts Into Positive Ones”. To look good and feel good its all about attitude. It doesn’t mean that if you have a fat belly you don’t look fabulous at all. Just be yourself and have confidence. This is how I turn negative thoughts into positive.
A positive outlook is really vital for a woman. I would say it is the key to everything else, particularly one’s happiness. If one doesn’t feel and think good about herself, the more she will become depressed and frustrated.
The best advice was the last one, turning negative thoughts into positive ones. Nobody can ever feel good about yourself if it will not start from us, mothers. Though this takes a lot of courage and plenty of positive and feel good thoughts, but this is highly important. Though we don’t look best right after we give birth but at least, presentable and neat. Embrace the new you and enjoy being a mother!
True, Katherine. Feeling good about one’s self starts from the person herself/himself. Whatever encouragement people say, if an individual will not change his/her negative mindset, nothing will happen.
If we want positive things to happen in our lives, we should start by thinking positively. As you said, it’s not easy but it is possible 🙂
I agree with the listings here. These changes we have after giving birth is somehow giving us a low impression of ourselves. We get insecure so easily. We tend to compare. Most women suffer from postpartum. Sometimes, no matter how you lift up your spirit, it’s just not helping. We may put on a little makeup or so, yet we still feel ugly and unattractive. Even if our partners/husbands will compliment us we’re beautiful as we are, yet we are not convinced. Maybe it’s just normal for us after giving birth. All we have to do is embrace the motherhood life and always portray a positive attitude towards it. There are more great things to enjoy and be happy about.
So true. I’m sure many could relate to what you said, especially with all the hype about being fit and sexy that frustrates those who are having difficulty achieving their pre-pregnancy bodies. Well, not everyone can easily go back to being fit and fab especially if they’re focused on caring for their newborn which usually becomes the priority. It would truly require a strong will power to work on gaining a fit body again but it is possible.
I like the points mentioned here and I will gladly apply them after becoming a mom. Having a supportive husband will also be nice so you can get back to your original body without stress or hating the body you got after giving birth.
Breastfeeding is an exercise and mothers will naturally lose weight while doing so. Having a good diet is also better since it will help in shedding the extra pounds within six months.
These are good tips on how a mother can work towards getting her post baby body shape back to normal or coming in terms with accepting her new body outcome. Although some mothers don’t help themselves out with how they eat carelessly and allowing their body to grow out of proportion. It’s better to watch your meal as a mother after birth and once you’re fully fit, engage in light exercise to help your body get better to a good shape.