Guest Post: Post Pregnancy Body Positivity

 I knew a lot of things would change when I became pregnant. What took me by surprise was what my body would look like after I had the baby. I mean I had heard about the weight gain, the saggy breasts, the stretch marks, but seeing those things on myself was a completely different story. And by different I mean utterly disappointing.  But worse than that, was the self loathing and body hate that started to infiltrate my thoughts soon after. That was something I hadn't been warned about.

That part of post pregnancy life was not fun, but as I started doing research on this I came to realize that I wasn't the only woman who struggled with body positivity. In fact, one statistic said that 91% of all women in the United States Hate their body. I've come to realize that this body hate is a private shame shared by almost every woman and every momma in this country. And it's time to put an end to it.

So let's talk about Post Pregnancy Body Love, because if 91% of women in the United States feel that their body is so far away from the beauty standard that they actually hate it, then the beauty standard is wrong. Period.

These are some steps I want you to follow, so you can learn to love yourself, especially after you delivered that beautiful precious baby into this world.

First, next time you see yourself in the mirror, instead of critiquing your shape, I want you to remember the strength it took your body to carry your baby for nine months. I want you to remember the healing process afterwards and think of the strength it took to bounce back from that crazy ordeal. Then I want you to remember the feeding and sleep deprivation you endured afterwards, and remember how strong your body was to still get up with that baby, even after three months of next to no sleep, and feed that little one, every time you heard her cry. Whenever you see yourself in the mirror, remember your body is strong.

Second, next time you go swimming and you see another woman in a little bikini with three kids whoyour body is a tool meant to carry your mind and your mind has helped your child grow.
looks perfect, I want you to remember all the times you have sung or read to your child. Remember the times you have taught your sweet child a new skill. And remember the nights when you have stayed up late giving advice and encouragement. When you catch yourself comparing your body to others I want you to remember

Third, the next time you try on a pair of jeans that is a little too snug, I want you to remember the times you have made goodies with your child and stayed up too late eating them together and talking. I want you to remember the first time you saw your child roll over, or take a step. I want you to think about the last family outing, when your child laughed with joy. When your clothes don't fit like they used to, I want you to remember that your body has given you the ability to create fun memories.

Repeat.

My body is strong.

My body is intelligent.

My body is fun.

Let's not waste one more once of our precious mom power on worrying about how we look, because our kids will never remember whether we fit into a size 0 or a size 20. But they will remember if we were present. And that's what really matters.

Amanda Butler is a free thinking, fun loving momma who is passionate about women's issues and empowerment. She loves her family and playing with her little girl. You can visit her blog at becomingextra-ordinary.com or follow her on social media @becomingextra on Facebook, and Twitter and becomingextraordinary1 on Instagram