Self Conscious About Weight and Appearance

lilmamabat

I'm ending the second trimester and my weight jumped up a little early. I had some trouble with my weight starting in 2020 and had finally started losing weight right before getting pregnant ( I am/was overweight). Before I pretty much was only worried about my health. I still felt pretty good about how I looked even after I had gained weight. But now I feel awful about my weight and how I look. I want to stay healthy and in the healthy weight range and I'm still there. But I need to find some way to feel better about myself. There's weight control resources everywhere, but what I really want is support and to know that I'm not alone.
I am hoping cooking more and eating nutritious foods will make me feel like I have control over my health. I have a very physical job, and I'm looking for ways to get exercise. I just don't know how to feel like I'm in control of the situation or to accept the way my body looks right now. I'm 5'1" and my bump is biggest at the very bottom. It seems like nothing fits over the biggest part of my bump. And I have honestly cried about this, embarrassing as it is. These feelings are so new to me. 
Has anyone else felt these things? What makes you feel better? 

ceclarlinetlo

💜💜 body image while pregnant is very hard. You are definitely not alone. There is truth that we should make as healthy choices as our energy levels and nausea allow, but there is also truth that at the end of the day, our bodies are going to do what they are going to do. With my oldest I had zero energy the entire time and I figured that’s why I gained 50 pounds. But with my second I had a personal trainer and I worked out 2-4 times a week the entire time (I went to the gym on a Friday and baby came that Monday) and I still gained 43 pounds. I’m sitting at about 30 pounds gained now at 29 weeks. It just is what it is. Before having a kid I assumed pregnancy was like sharing your body, but in reality it’s more like an alien has taken over your body and you are just along for the ride. 

Unfortunately the body image issues can still be tricky postpartum. With both of my pregnancies I eventually got back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, but my clothes still didn’t fit right anymore because my weight was distributed differently, my hips were wider and my tummy skin softer, and my breasts were different. There are some lucky people out there that avoid the stretch marks and their body goes back to close to it was before but I really think that’s rare.