Body After Babies: Worth the Stretch

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When we have babies, our lives totally change and are never the same – our routines, our checkbooks, our hearts  – yet somehow we are surprised when our bodies permanently change too.

My body doesn’t look the same as it did before babies. From the inside out I stretched and grew to carry my babies. My hips were spread nice and wide upon arrival of our first son in all his 8 pounds and 5 ounces of glory. With each pregnancy, they settled in just a little wider. My breasts did a glorious job of feeding three little ones, but they failed miserably at staying glorious. My bottom is nowhere near it’s original location. We’ll just leave it at that.

Most days I look in the mirror and think, “Dang, I look good for being 36 and having three kids!” but other days the self doubt takes over. My oldest son is now thirteen, my baby is turning nine; shouldn’t I have my body back by now? The “baby fat” excuses are long gone but the stretch marks won’t fade. My sagging belly button will continue to sag. My bottom, well, never mind. These permanent changes to my body are my reminders…

My body made babies. My body fed babies. My body freaking rocks!

My boys were worth every stretch of my sanity on sleepless nights, every stretch of my wallet, every stretch of my heart, and every stretch of my body. 

If only we could see the stretch marks around our hearts. I doubt we’d be ashamed of those!

BABpostgraphic1

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