The standards of beauty and the pressure of society are stifling for any woman: the constant demand for us to always be? In shape? It causes many women to suffer and feel compelled to seek unreachable standards. Accepting and feeling good about one's body is not always simple in this context; The fight is daily.
For women who have just had a pregnancy, this charge can be even harder to deal with. During pregnancy, is it normal for the body to change a lot? After all, carrying a new being into formation will surely bring change. Weight gain, appearance of stretch marks, swelling and other signs are common and completely natural. However, the pressure (external or self) makes many women feel ashamed of their body postpartum or feel obliged to regain their former appearance.
But not all postpartum experience is the same. As some women struggle to regain their usual weight, others joyfully accept the new body. An example of this is Ana Paula Marcato, who has a two-year-old daughter. “The best experience I ever had was being a mother. It is such a love that I never imagined I could feel for anyone. A love that didn't let me worry about the weight I gained in pregnancy. The belly grew and the joy only increased? He shares.
This perspective is important and contributed to make Ana Paula feel free and empowered at this stage. Mother for the first time, she says she did not feel pressured to regain her old weight and faced the new body with pride: “I was not very worried about losing the weight I gained in pregnancy, I was gradually losing and some pounds still accompany me until today. But I'm not sad about that, because I know it was all because of the greatest treasure I have: my daughter?
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Thinking about her mother's different postpartum relationships, US photographer Natalie McCain created The Honest Body Project. The project aims to photograph mothers to inspire and empower other women.
Natalie says on her website that she wants to contribute to the new generation of women having healthy body images. Let's show women without Photoshop and empower moms everywhere to be proud of their postpartum body. Show your children that the size of your pants doesn't change how much you love yourself ?, describes the photographer.
Photos and testimonials? The Honest Project
Here are ten images from the Honest Body Project and you can learn a little about the experience these women share.
Honestly, I feel more comfortable with how my body looks when I'm pregnant than when I'm not. I have a mixed feeling now? I am amazed at the way my body is recovering from my second cesarean section, I'm a little sad that this time I have stretch marks on my stomach, although I expect to hug them over time and feel very different from what I feel now. I feel like a goddess every time I breastfeed my baby. I feel older than I think I should feel at my age. I am ecstatic about what the female body is capable of.
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“I have actually managed to embrace the idea of not recovering quickly with my last two pregnancies. There's something truly beautiful about the way my newborn's little body molds into my soft postpartum belly. Although having a firm abdomen is something I want in the future, I am delighted that this is not my reality now. The body I have is perfect to cuddle my baby !?
“I loved feeling round and curvy when I was pregnant and dressed to accentuate all curves. But then it's a struggle to hide the flat belly, the arms that look a little more flabby than before, and the varicose legs that are still a little swollen.
“After this birth, I decided to take care of my sanity proactively, since I knew I could be overloaded or less neat than what is good for me. I shower daily, change if they get misaligned, and make sure I'm comfortable before being trapped for hours, even if it means the baby has to wait another ten seconds. Practicing this care with myself definitely helped keep my head in a better state than last pregnancy.
"Though I have no idea what it's like to sleep, that I'm constantly smelling of baby vomit, that my appearance is a mess, that my house is not as clean as it used to be, and my life consists of dirty diapers and peeing." I deeply love the life of mother and could not imagine my life without my son.
“I have the kind of body other moms hate and they tell me that openly. I had no problem with my postpartum body. Last week I worked on a bikini event with four weeks postpartum. I'm still four or six pounds over my normal weight, so I definitely feel more self-conscious than usual.But to deal with it, I've been going to the gym for the past two weeks to get back to my normal weight faster than just breastfeeding. Most people can't believe how quickly I got in shape with my second baby, but this is what I do for a living, I'm sure my body knows I can't be in shape! Will I not be hired for any modeling job if I am not fit? This is harsh reality of how things are.
“One morning, I got out of the shower, stopped in front of the mirror and actually looked at my body. The purple streaks on my belly were such a blow that I was startled at how loud I said? WOW? involuntarily. I had no stretch marks with the birth of my first child. I knew that in the last weeks of pregnancy stretch marks had appeared, but it's different now that the baby is born and the skin is no longer so stretched. I called my husband and showed him. "Look at these stretch marks," I said. "Cool!" He replied. And he genuinely thought it was cool and started to run his fingers over them. "I had a smooth, firm abdomen, remember," I asked him, realizing that my abdomen would no longer be the way I remembered. Without hesitation, he answered, "Yes, but we didn't have two wonderful children at that time."
“The hardest thing I had to deal with during the postpartum period is keeping patience. Overall I'd say I've been doing a great job, but it takes a lot of awareness and intent. Most of the time it's a minute to minute self-regulatory execution. Patience with myself as I physically recover from the limitations of my elective caesarean section. Patience with myself as I learn to mother two children. Patience with my son who is approaching the age of three and getting used to having a new baby at home. Patience with those who have been helping me at home with tasks I was used to doing on my own.
Being a plus size pregnant woman was very challenging in every way. From body criticism to trying to find clothes that fit. Self confidence was a daily challenge. Once I had my baby I thought my body would go back to the way it was before, which was no longer perfect, but I was happy with him. I'm here to say that he didn't go back to the way he was. I have lost about 12 pounds, I have a healthy diet and I try to exercise as much as possible, but I am still not happy with my appearance. I do not want to be thin. I just want to be healthy for me, my family, my son; but it is hard. It's hard to feel pretty with stretch marks all over my body and the extra weight I've gained.
I love my postpartum belly! I waited a long time to see what she looked like and hoped she had some stretch marks that told me my babies were growing up and that they spent less time struggling to survive. I will never hide my stretch marks or my soft belly because of other people; This wonderful belly has already carried my three children in two pregnancies, getting full both times.
Is it worth stressing that no woman is obliged to anything and that her body should just be healthy and make you feel good? whatever his appearance. Get inspired by these women's stories, hug your body and love yourself! This is what really matters to you and your children.
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