How to Feel Confident About Your Post‐Pregnancy Body
Realize recovery is a long-term goal., Don’t judge your body by the first few weeks., Be kind to yourself., Recognize the power of your body., Concentrate on the features you do like., Talk to your friends., Get dressed in the morning., Do something...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Realize recovery is a long-term goal.
Your body will go through a number of changes during pregnancy and after delivery.
Remind yourself that some people recover faster than others, and that studies have shown a year is typically the average time for a body to heal and reach it's new normal.
Don't be discouraged if it takes time, and remind yourself that you are working toward a larger goal., Remember that your body has just undergone considerable stress and is under transition.
You are likely bruised, torn and swollen and all of this will take time to readjust and heal.
Avoid staring at yourself in the mirror for the first few weeks and remember that this body is not permanent., In addition to not judging yourself, avoid making negative remarks about your body, both in your head and to others.
This will only make it harder for you to feel confident and is a form of self harm.
Also, be sure to accept compliments.
Someone might tell you that you look beautiful, and though you may not feel it, accept it.
Express thanks to them.Repeat kind things to yourself in the morning like “I am beautiful, I am strong, I am confident.” , Though you may not be feeling so confident about your body, work to see it as better, not worse than it was pre-pregnancy.
Many women, after having their first child, report feeling more powerful and more motivated to push their body further than before.
Some run marathons, report having better sex lives, or feel more confident at work.Take some time to think about all that your body has endured.
This will help to shift and reconfigure your negative thoughts about your body. , Though your body has changed, there are likely still many parts of it that you do still like.
Perhaps your breasts have grown or your hips have become curvier.
You might love your facial features, your hair or your lips.
Emphasize the parts of yourself that you do like by wearing lipstick or certain styles of clothes.Focus on the other characteristics of yourself that you like as well that are not external, like your humor or intellect. , Many of your friends or family may have struggled with similar issues of body discomfort after having a baby.
Talk to them about those issues as well as how they overcame them.
You might say “Lately, I’ve been really struggling to get used to my new body.
What did you do after you had your baby and your body changed?” , One way to begin feeling better about yourself is to wake up and get dressed in the morning like you used to before the baby.
Fix your hair, put on a cute outfit, and wear some makeup.
These simple things can make a big difference in increasing your confidence and making you feel more like yourself.Be sure to shower everyday, though you may feel that you don’t have time.
Not showering will only make you feel gross and even less confident. , During this time of transition, show kindness to yourself by buying something you’ve been wanting or treating yourself to a spa day.
It can be easy to slip into caring only for your child and forgetting to care for yourself.
But remember that in order to be the best mother, you have to feel happy and content as well.
Get those new shoes or that lipstick you’ve been wanting.If you’re tight on money, have an at home spa day.
Do your nails and toenails, style your hair and do an at home facial. , Though you may not feel it at this time, fake it until you make it.
Think of the things that made you feel sexy before the baby and continue to do those things now.
Go out dancing if you can find a sitter one night, wear red lipstick or buy some new sexy panties for yourself.Though sex might help you feel more sexy, you should avoid it entirely for six weeks after having your baby. , Your lack of confidence may be tied up in your body changing but it could also have something to do with your clothes being ill-fitting now that you have more curves.
Go out and buy a few new items to wear for now so that you don’t have to wear maternity clothes or clothes that are too tight.
Wear what fits, and what makes you feel comfortable in the moment.
If you are tight on cash, consider going to a Goodwill, Plato’s Closet, or other resale shops.
You can also sell some of your own old clothes.
You can also consider updating your old clothes if the size is right but the silhouette is wrong. , You may be eager to begin hitting the gym immediately after giving birth, anxiously researching diets to go on to lose the weight or considering surgery to rid yourself of your stretch marks.
Though these feelings and plans are understandable, give yourself some time and some space to heal.
Put off weight loss or other cosmetic planning for a bit after having the baby.Enjoy motherhood during this time.
You will never get these days back, so soak up the memories.
Do things to relax yourself in the moments of quiet that you do have.
Do only the cooking and cleaning that is absolutely necessary.
It’s okay to have a bit of a mess for a few weeks while you heal. , If you have a partner, rely on them to clean and cook around the house, as well as help care for the new child.
You can also rely on friends or family to help, too.
If you have any close and trusting relationships, invite those people over to help watch the baby for a few hours while you catch up on any things that you might need to do.
You might call them and say “Hey, could you come over for a bit to help me with the baby? I need to do some laundry.” Don’t turn away help if you are offered it. , After you have had your baby, though you may not be eating for two anymore, your body is still recovering and needs proper nutrition.
Do not try to starve yourself to lose weight quicker; if you do so, you will lack energy and be less able to care for your child.
Fuel up on foods high in protein and vitamins like grilled chicken, fruits and vegetables.
Your body will feel better the better you feed it.If you are breastfeeding, avoid alcohol, smoking and drugs.
Be sure to have three balanced meals per day. , Remember that during this time, your body needs rest.
Though your newborn is likely keeping you up a lot at night, try to sleep when they sleep instead of staying awake to complete other tasks.
You can complete some of those while they are awake, particularly if you have a baby carrier that attaches to your body.If you live with family or a partner, you may consider establishing a rotating late-night care schedule.
That way, there is always someone appointed to look after the baby, but everyone has a chance to get some rest as well. , After a few weeks of rest and getting acclimated to motherhood, you may want to get back into a workout routine.
Start off small while your body is healing and perhaps take a walk around the block with your baby a few times a week.
Join a gym or purchase some workout DVDs.
You can also find workout routines online.Find a workout buddy to help keep you committed to exercise.
Find workouts online that incorporate your baby.
Look for gyms that have daycares. , During this time, you are likely very eager to get back to your pre-pregnancy body.
While this is understandable, realize that this might not happen or might take a while to do so.
Work on setting small goals that you can accomplish so that you feel productive.Set goals like “Walk for 30 minutes today.” -
Step 2: Don’t judge your body by the first few weeks.
-
Step 3: Be kind to yourself.
-
Step 4: Recognize the power of your body.
-
Step 5: Concentrate on the features you do like.
-
Step 6: Talk to your friends.
-
Step 7: Get dressed in the morning.
-
Step 8: Do something nice for yourself.
-
Step 9: Make yourself feel sexy.
-
Step 10: Buy new clothes to fit your new
-
Step 11: curvier shape.
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Step 12: Give yourself time to heal.
-
Step 13: Enlist the help of friends.
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Step 14: Eat right and well.
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Step 15: Get some sleep.
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Step 16: Exercise.
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Step 17: Set goals that you can accomplish.
Detailed Guide
Your body will go through a number of changes during pregnancy and after delivery.
Remind yourself that some people recover faster than others, and that studies have shown a year is typically the average time for a body to heal and reach it's new normal.
Don't be discouraged if it takes time, and remind yourself that you are working toward a larger goal., Remember that your body has just undergone considerable stress and is under transition.
You are likely bruised, torn and swollen and all of this will take time to readjust and heal.
Avoid staring at yourself in the mirror for the first few weeks and remember that this body is not permanent., In addition to not judging yourself, avoid making negative remarks about your body, both in your head and to others.
This will only make it harder for you to feel confident and is a form of self harm.
Also, be sure to accept compliments.
Someone might tell you that you look beautiful, and though you may not feel it, accept it.
Express thanks to them.Repeat kind things to yourself in the morning like “I am beautiful, I am strong, I am confident.” , Though you may not be feeling so confident about your body, work to see it as better, not worse than it was pre-pregnancy.
Many women, after having their first child, report feeling more powerful and more motivated to push their body further than before.
Some run marathons, report having better sex lives, or feel more confident at work.Take some time to think about all that your body has endured.
This will help to shift and reconfigure your negative thoughts about your body. , Though your body has changed, there are likely still many parts of it that you do still like.
Perhaps your breasts have grown or your hips have become curvier.
You might love your facial features, your hair or your lips.
Emphasize the parts of yourself that you do like by wearing lipstick or certain styles of clothes.Focus on the other characteristics of yourself that you like as well that are not external, like your humor or intellect. , Many of your friends or family may have struggled with similar issues of body discomfort after having a baby.
Talk to them about those issues as well as how they overcame them.
You might say “Lately, I’ve been really struggling to get used to my new body.
What did you do after you had your baby and your body changed?” , One way to begin feeling better about yourself is to wake up and get dressed in the morning like you used to before the baby.
Fix your hair, put on a cute outfit, and wear some makeup.
These simple things can make a big difference in increasing your confidence and making you feel more like yourself.Be sure to shower everyday, though you may feel that you don’t have time.
Not showering will only make you feel gross and even less confident. , During this time of transition, show kindness to yourself by buying something you’ve been wanting or treating yourself to a spa day.
It can be easy to slip into caring only for your child and forgetting to care for yourself.
But remember that in order to be the best mother, you have to feel happy and content as well.
Get those new shoes or that lipstick you’ve been wanting.If you’re tight on money, have an at home spa day.
Do your nails and toenails, style your hair and do an at home facial. , Though you may not feel it at this time, fake it until you make it.
Think of the things that made you feel sexy before the baby and continue to do those things now.
Go out dancing if you can find a sitter one night, wear red lipstick or buy some new sexy panties for yourself.Though sex might help you feel more sexy, you should avoid it entirely for six weeks after having your baby. , Your lack of confidence may be tied up in your body changing but it could also have something to do with your clothes being ill-fitting now that you have more curves.
Go out and buy a few new items to wear for now so that you don’t have to wear maternity clothes or clothes that are too tight.
Wear what fits, and what makes you feel comfortable in the moment.
If you are tight on cash, consider going to a Goodwill, Plato’s Closet, or other resale shops.
You can also sell some of your own old clothes.
You can also consider updating your old clothes if the size is right but the silhouette is wrong. , You may be eager to begin hitting the gym immediately after giving birth, anxiously researching diets to go on to lose the weight or considering surgery to rid yourself of your stretch marks.
Though these feelings and plans are understandable, give yourself some time and some space to heal.
Put off weight loss or other cosmetic planning for a bit after having the baby.Enjoy motherhood during this time.
You will never get these days back, so soak up the memories.
Do things to relax yourself in the moments of quiet that you do have.
Do only the cooking and cleaning that is absolutely necessary.
It’s okay to have a bit of a mess for a few weeks while you heal. , If you have a partner, rely on them to clean and cook around the house, as well as help care for the new child.
You can also rely on friends or family to help, too.
If you have any close and trusting relationships, invite those people over to help watch the baby for a few hours while you catch up on any things that you might need to do.
You might call them and say “Hey, could you come over for a bit to help me with the baby? I need to do some laundry.” Don’t turn away help if you are offered it. , After you have had your baby, though you may not be eating for two anymore, your body is still recovering and needs proper nutrition.
Do not try to starve yourself to lose weight quicker; if you do so, you will lack energy and be less able to care for your child.
Fuel up on foods high in protein and vitamins like grilled chicken, fruits and vegetables.
Your body will feel better the better you feed it.If you are breastfeeding, avoid alcohol, smoking and drugs.
Be sure to have three balanced meals per day. , Remember that during this time, your body needs rest.
Though your newborn is likely keeping you up a lot at night, try to sleep when they sleep instead of staying awake to complete other tasks.
You can complete some of those while they are awake, particularly if you have a baby carrier that attaches to your body.If you live with family or a partner, you may consider establishing a rotating late-night care schedule.
That way, there is always someone appointed to look after the baby, but everyone has a chance to get some rest as well. , After a few weeks of rest and getting acclimated to motherhood, you may want to get back into a workout routine.
Start off small while your body is healing and perhaps take a walk around the block with your baby a few times a week.
Join a gym or purchase some workout DVDs.
You can also find workout routines online.Find a workout buddy to help keep you committed to exercise.
Find workouts online that incorporate your baby.
Look for gyms that have daycares. , During this time, you are likely very eager to get back to your pre-pregnancy body.
While this is understandable, realize that this might not happen or might take a while to do so.
Work on setting small goals that you can accomplish so that you feel productive.Set goals like “Walk for 30 minutes today.”
About the Author
Donna Tucker
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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