Maybe im too vain

KristynLee15

Im having a really hard time adjusting to this post baby body. I hate looking in the mirror. I look like I've been attacked by Freddy Krueger on my stomach and breasts. I have 30 lbs to lose and insane dry patches on my face.
I keep trying to remind myself my body has been through some serious trauma and i try to be kind to myself. But its hard. I respect what my body has done. Anyone else having body image issues and how are you coping?

dchiapella

Yes. Very much so. No one would think I'd just had a baby but to me I'm massive. It was one thing gaining weight for the baby but now he's out and I just feel large and soft and I have these foreign purple stretch marks around my belly button. Be sure to surround yourself with people who remind you of how beautiful you are and how good you did on growing and delivering that baby. That's really my only advice. Drink lots of water and splurge on a really nice moisturizer or even a facial! Please no that you ARE beautiful, even if you don't fee like it. Please also know you're not alone in this and that you're completely justified in feeling the way you do. Good luck mama!

KristynLee15

dchiapella said:

Yes. Very much so. No one would think I'd just had a baby but to me I'm massive. It was one thing gaining weight for the baby but now he's out and I just feel large and soft and I have these foreign purple stretch marks around my belly button. Be sure to surround yourself with people who remind you of how beautiful you are and how good you did on growing and delivering that baby. That's really my only advice. Drink lots of water and splurge on a really nice moisturizer or even a facial! Please no that you ARE beautiful, even if you don't fee like it. Please also know you're not alone in this and that you're completely justified in feeling the way you do. Good luck mama!

Thank you so much!! Somedays im okay with it all. Other days, not so much!. I just opened a card from my aunt with a gift card to my hair stylist and a nice little note saying that i did such a good job taking care of Evelyn for 9 months that now its time i do something for myself. It was really the little boost i needed. Guess DH is on his own for a few hours this weekend Its just nice when someone recognises how difficult pregnancy and birth can be on your body.

meganraschke

You need to read this
https://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2013/04/07/my-postpartum-body-a-poem/

koriemo

Yeah, I'm struggling with it too. I don't have a scale at home, so I'm waiting until my 6 week check up to see how much I've lost. I'm battling not wanting to eat because I want to get in shape again with knowing I need to eat because I am breastfeeding.

KLHauck12

I think it's pretty normal to feel this way. Especially because a newborn is so demanding, you pretty much exist just to meet their needs and yours get lost. It's like an extension of being pregnant where you body wasn't your own. I think you look forward to not sharing your body and then you still feel like you are plus your body has changed. ...and you are in showered and covered in spit up! No wonder we struggle!!!

I had a bunch of stomach issues post partum and it took me a while to get a normal appetite back. I think that is the reason I am back to my pre pregnancy weight (which was a bit high to start )...but I'm struggling with the softer tummy and saggy boobs. I feel good about myself when dressed because those things dont show. But naked is another story. I expected the tummy but I always felt very proud of my breasts so it's been hard to see them change. My husband still loves them but says he would support me if I ever wanted to get work done for my own self esteem. I'm not sure I could ever do that and I fear he secretly wants me to (and is just complimenting me on them to make me happy). But I should appreciate how wonderful he is and makes me feel. He acknowledges that it's.normal for me to feel lower self esteem after all the changes but he still pursues and wants me. But even despite that, I just wish that I felt better. I know my boobs have to change but I miss my old.ones...I'm mourning the loss.

KristynLee15

KLHauck12 said:

I think it's pretty normal to feel this way. Especially because a newborn is so demanding, you pretty much exist just to meet their needs and yours get lost. It's like an extension of being pregnant where you body wasn't your own. I think you look forward to not sharing your body and then you still feel like you are plus your body has changed. ...and you are in showered and covered in spit up! No wonder we struggle!!!

I had a bunch of stomach issues post partum and it took me a while to get a normal appetite back. I think that is the reason I am back to my pre pregnancy weight (which was a bit high to start )...but I'm struggling with the softer tummy and saggy boobs. I feel good about myself when dressed because those things dont show. But naked is another story. I expected the tummy but I always felt very proud of my breasts so it's been hard to see them change. My husband still loves them but says he would support me if I ever wanted to get work done for my own self esteem. I'm not sure I could ever do that and I fear he secretly wants me to (and is just complimenting me on them to make me happy). But I should appreciate how wonderful he is and makes me feel. He acknowledges that it's.normal for me to feel lower self esteem after all the changes but he still pursues and wants me. But even despite that, I just wish that I felt better. I know my boobs have to change but I miss my old.ones...I'm mourning the loss.

This is me exactly!

KristynLee15

meganraschke said:

You need to read this
https://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2013/04/07/my-postpartum-body-a-poem/

Beautiful poem!! I hope i get to that state of mind!

cmjn94

I'm almost 7 weeks pp and only just now starting to like my new body. It is different than my pre-baby body, but its not a bad body.

The whole clothes-not-fitting-still is obnoxious but I'm making peace with the fact that I may just need to find something else to wear. I bought a new pair of jeans about 2 weeks pp because I couldn't stand my awful maternity jeans anymore. They're big now!

whitemn04

Im about 3 lbs less than pp weight according to my scale. I had mild GD so not being able to indulge I only gained about 16 lbs during pregnancy. I'm a bigger gal but have always been muscular. I have plenty of fat but the scale numbers show I'm heavier than what I look and I really struggle with that. My tummy looks to droop more but my enlarged boobs make my waist look smaller. But when the boobs get droopier I'm afraid my body will start to fit the numbers on the scale. In my clothes I thought I looked ok until one of our post baby pics showed a pooch hanging over my pants and it made me feel like crap. My son is going to be able to use my stretch marks as roads for his toy cars. DH says you look fine you just had a baby. Well some of this if not most isn't going to go away then what? I try cutting myself some slack as I'm 3 weeks post but what if the baby evidence doesn't go away, will he still find me sexy then? Ugh, I hate it and envy those that just snap back to looking great.