A letter to my postpartum body…

It feels like everyone is saying they ‘love your body for carrying your baby’, and while, yes, I do find it incredible that the female body can carry another life (or in my case, 2 lives) for 9 months, I don’t feel an overwhelming sense of self love for my body postpartum and that’s completely ok.

I don’t like the stretch marks that cover my stomach, thighs and derrière.
I don’t like the extra skin that sits around my midriff.
I don’t like my saggy boobs that held milk for my babies.
I don’t like that I can’t fit into my old clothes, and I don’t like that I don’t know when I’ll next fit into them.

But, I can appreciate and respect my body for what it has achieved.

Being able to grow, carry and support a baby whilst also keeping myself alive is quite the accomplishment.

This isn’t to disregard those mothers that have a new found love for their postpartum body. I wish I was you.

This is a letter to my freshly postpartum self that it’s actually ok and completely normal to not love your body postpartum, to not love your stretch marks, but to simple acknowledge what your body has achieved - much like running a marathon, we don’t like the blisters or chafing but we can appreciate what our body has done to get to the finish line.

I love that my body has been physically able to carry a baby, let alone two babies at once.
I love that my body is slowly returning to a version of myself pre-babies (and you shouldn’t feel guilt about saying that either).

I love that my body produced milk to feed my babies but equally I love that my body has stopped producing milk so I can time a bit time to myself and not be in demand.

I love that my body can now move comfortably during a workout.

I love that my body it’s repairing and healing.

There’s is so much to love and appreciate about your postpartum body, but if you’re like me and don’t love the stretch marks just know it’s completely ok.