Loving My Pregnant Body
I am almost halfway through this pregnancy! Can you believe it? I can't. If you've been following along, you know that I challenged myself to speak kindly and positively about my body my whole pregnancy. (You can read a little more about it in this post.) I wanted to update you all on some things that have been helping keep my promise! It hasn't been too hard to stay positive...so far. I anticipate it getting much more difficult in the coming months. But hopefully these habits will help me! (And maybe they could help you too? I think most of these ideas could be adapted, even if you're not pregnant. Everyone could use a little more body-love in their life!)
Invest in clothing that makes you feel good. It's hard to be positive about your body when you try on 5 pairs of pants and nothing fits like it used to...ah, the reality of pregnancy. I definitely look different but I still don't have a defined bump yet, so I've been wearing a lot of roomy sweaters or "dress-like-you're-wearing-a-bag" dresses. (That's what Jordan calls my loose dresses! Haha.) I've been stocking up on maternity clothes so I'll be prepared for the day when I really can't fake it with my normal clothes. Ingrid and Isabel sent me some fabulous clothes that I can't wait to show you! One of the shirts they sent seriously looks like a Madewell shirt I had my eye on. I may be pregnant, but I still want to look chic! Bottom line: buy, borrow, improvise, but find clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable. It's worth it, even if it's only for a few months.
Develop a daily gratitude practice. Spend some time every day thanking your body for all it's doing for you. It will help shift your perspective from valuing your body for how it looks to valuing it for being the incredible instrument that it is! It's also a good reminder that there is always something to be grateful for if you're looking for it. Keep a gratitude journal, a gratitude jar, thank your body in your prayers, or find a a guided gratitude meditation online. (The Alison Show has a great guided gratitude practice on her podcast. Listen to it here or look her up on the Podcast app. It's episode 24.) Whatever it is, find a way to consciously thank your body. Get specific and be sincere.
Create a special care routine. Create a ritual to celebrate your pregnancy and your body. Get a monthly pedicure (you're not going to be able to touch your toes at some point anyway), or get your favorite smoothie and toast your body! Think of a healthy way to "treat yo'self!" I've started a little routine post-shower where I lotion up my belly and talk to my baby. It's created sweet little moments where I focus on the now and connect with my baby and my body. (I've been using Mustela's Stretch Mark Prevention Cream and I love it!)
Understand why you're body is changing. It's been really helpful for me to educate myself on the physiology of pregnancy. Understanding how my baby is growing and all the things my body is doing to support that growth helps me be see changes in my body as the healthy, happy signs they should be. My waist is getting bigger, but that means my baby is getting bigger. I'm waking up at night to pee, but that means that my I'm drinking a lot of water to help my body hydrate my baby. I may be crying while watching The Voice, but that means that my hormones are cranking up to keep my baby cozy on the inside. My body is different, but I'm trying to see it as a good different.
Hopefully I can keep going strong until April! Hopefully I can go 9 months without saying anything mean or negative about my body. But even if I slip up, I ultimately hope to create a habit of speaking kindly about my body that will last even after I'm holding Baby Craig in my arms. Pregnant or not, at our ideal size or not, our bodies are incredible! Let's celebrate them and love them.