21 weeks (taken by my 3 year old)
If you have ever suffered from poor body image then pregnancy can be an especially challenging time, as you watch your body morph into something beyond your control.
And of course, the models that wear the maternity clothes look incredibly beautiful showing only the appropriate voluptuousness in their bellies. (It’s my contention that maternity-models who don’t also have fat thighs and round faces are wearing those maternity pillows ~ and should definitely be outlawed!)
But if you can move beyond the cultural norms of what a pregnant mother is “supposed” to look like, then celebrating our pregnant bodies becomes easier…and even enjoyable.
I’m 5 months pregnant with my third child and some days my body issues still pop up ~ especially when I see pictures of myself and see how “full” I look. But if I only concentrate on how I look, I miss all the incredible, wondrous things that are happening at this rare and sacred time ~ and since this is the last time I plan on being pregnant, I definitely don’t want to miss one beautiful moment. So, as I continue to heal my body image, here I go celebrating the top 10 things I LOVE about my blooming body:
1.) I love, Love, LOVE all the baby kicks I feel. To me, this is really one of the MOST magical things about being pregnant ~ feeling my little babe moving around inside me. It’s so wonderful and incredible and I can’t get enough of it!
2.) I love that being pregnant makes me take extra special care of myself ~ with foods and movements that make me feel strong and nourished.
3.) I love that being pregnant sometimes means slowing down and choosing to do only the things that REALLY matter.
4.) I love how smooth and radiant my complexion is right now.
5.) I love how my body knows exactly how to grow and nourish my baby without me having to think about it ~ it really IS amazing!
6.) I love that others tell me that I really am “glowing”. I know they are picking up on the special, sacred energy that only comes with pregnancy.
7.) I LOVE some of the cute maternity clothes I found recently ~ and can’t wait to show off my belly bump in a white summery skirt and a sparkly tank-top.
8.) I LOVE that pregnancy makes me feel much more sensual! This is a wonderful perk that my husband enjoys too! (Seriously, a big, big, BIG perk!)
9.) I LOVE that being pregnant makes me feel like part of creation ~ a sacred and special Goddess.
10.) I LOVE that I’ve been able to run this pregnancy ~ it’s been so good for my mental health! And I especially LOVE that I feel like I’m getting fitter, the MORE pregnant I get (how incredibly amazing is THAT?!) I LOVE that I challenged myself to run my first 5k and I completed it yesterday ~ fully enjoying it!!!! What an amazing pregnancy this has been!
Okay, so pregnancy has it’s share of challenges, but there are so many things to celebrate as well. It’s day-to-day balance (or moment-to-moment!).
How did you ultimately feel when YOU were pregnant? What are some of the things you’ve LOVED about being pregnant? (Or are looking forward to?)
****************************************************************************
Worth the read (from other pregnant mamas):
Our Body Blog 