My abdomen has always been the smallest part of my body. This is no longer the case. Many of my shirts don't fit because my breasts are larger from breastfeeding. I even had to buy new bras because my old ones were too small. I have a giant scar across my lower abdomen from my c-section, my "linea negra" is hanging around and doesn't seem to be getting any fainter, and I still have 4 pounds to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight...
Since most women struggle with their postpartum looks, and I am one of the crowd, I thought I would go against the grain and show off my postpartum body with the hope that this exercise will help me realize what an amazing feat my body has successfully completed, and help me love the transformations in my body that I can't change, and motivate me to work to reverse what I can.
The day Kesha was born (38 weeks pregnant)
Day 1 of being home post c-section (so a little more than 24 hours after Kesha was born)
My stomach was still huge and looked like I was still pregnant. There was so much swelling from the surgery, and of course you still have tons of fluids inside you from 9+ months of being pregnant.
My stitches from my c-section. This was taken just a few days after surgery. Since my belly was still so big when I got home I had Arturo take a picture of my stitches so I could see what they looked like. Just imagine, you get the same cut and type of stitches on your uterus too...
One week post c-section. You an see how big my belly is still. Because a c-section is a major abdominal surgery there is so much swelling post operation. It was a tough recovery for me and I still have that beautiful scar to show for it.
Two weeks postpartum. Now I'd like to throw in here that I had some sort of stomach thing where I couldn't keep food or liquids down for about 4 days. My stomach is not this flat all the time. The minute I eat something it balloons out and it looks like I have lots of extra belly fat (which I essentially do have)
I am now 6 weeks postpartum and I would like to say that I look WAY better than I do in the photo above, but that's just not the case. I look the same. I was just given permission to partake in any and all physical activity I would like to, which is fantastic, and I hope I can report that in the coming months that my body has returned to normal. Until then, I thought you would all like to see updated photos of my scar and "linea negra".
Many people say 10 months on 10 months off, so I am trying to keep that in mind as I look at my slightly torn apart body. I also look that bump in the first picture, look at my scar, and realize that an amazing, tiny person came from me and that, although I shouldn't let myself go, it's okay for my body to be this way right now, and that it was all worth it!
Becca.... its been 5.6 weeks..? You are doing great... you are 28.. You are looking MAHVELOUS DAHLING! You have elasticity still...(edited commentary of my pg.. no one needs to read that) You will be great. Rejoice in your changes, this is a change due to your love for Arturo and your wish to create a being of that love... Its all good! Hugs Karen
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the learning to love my body after baby! I was always my biggest critic! I will tell you that it took probably close to 3 months for ALL of the swelling to go away...the immediate swelling from the mass quantities of fluid they gave me before, during and directly after my c-section took close to a week to go away. For a a few weeks your body looks the way it did during your pregnancy but in reverse, right after the baby was born you go from looking like you're right at the end to looking like you're in the middle, and that lasts a couple of weeks and then you look like you're just starting to show, and so on and so forth. Also, keep in mind that your tummy might not be totally flat ever again, simply because you made extra skin and the only way to get rid of that is to cut it out...
ReplyDeleteBut you're right, you're body may not be the awesome wear a bikini all the time bangin' that it used to be, but when your baby girl wraps her hand around your fingers and when she smiles at you for the first time and giggles, it is totally worth all the extra skin and stretch marks and a few extra pounds that just refuse to let go!
Also, I just have to tell you, I had a friend in Vegas who has a little boy just 5 weeks after I did and when I went to see her in the hospital, and the first thing she said to me was, "Oh my goodness! Your boobs are HUGE!!" Nursing has a way of doing that to one's breasts!
You'll get back to normal! I promise!