Here is the proof. Mini baby bump at 18 weeks pregnant:
But of course, a changing body when you are pregnant is expected. Cute even! I was much more nervous about what my body would look like after pregnancy then I was during. I am a confident person, but going through such drastic changes can be more than a little frightening!
Still, I knew that I owed it to more than just myself to keep up my great body image after I became a mommy. I owed it to my daughter! So when it came time to ask myself if my bikini days were over for good after having my kiddo, my answer, of course, was hell no!
I was lucky and breast feeding took off the pregnancy pounds quickly for me (I know this is not always the case) but my body has still changed a lot since I gave birth.
Part of what helped me feel good again in my post baby body was consciously re-writing the language I used when describing myself to myself. My skin hasn't lost firmness, it has become softer! Yes, my breasts and stomach have changed, but why does that have to be a bad thing? And beyond that-I grew a new human in my body people! I am a rock star!
These photos were taken when my baby was just around two months old. My uterus hadn't even fully shrunk down to its original size yet, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from wearing whatever I felt comfortable in to go swim on my mini vacation with my hubby. I should mention that my self confidence is helped out a lot by a husband that adores my body no matter what. He was so proud of me and couldn't stop telling me how beautiful I looked. I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to show my tummy off this much without his encouragement. I knew that in a few months my body would be a lot closer to looking how it did before I had Sonora, but it was important to me to be confident in this moment and live my life without caring what others thought. Too many of us spend our lives waiting for the day we are perfect to feel good about ourselves and to let ourselves live our best lives, but perfection is a dream that will never come. Never deny yourself pleasure because of how you feel about your appearance. If I could go back in time and tell my younger self one thing it would be that.
So why did I decide to share these photos? For one, I think I looked pretty darn great for someone who just had a baby. I want other women to see that pregnancy doesn't ruin your body, no matter how much it changes it. But I also wanted to post them so that I could show that I stand behind what I tell other women every day. No matter what body type you have, you will be beautiful if you are happy and confident. If I was a different kind of woman, I could look at these photos and see a collection of flaws. I could see the changes in my body and be ashamed of them, and worry about what other people would think if they could see them. But I am not that kind of woman. No matter what, I will not be ashamed of my body. It is strong, it is amazing, and it is mine. It's already changed a lot since these photos were taken. Both my belly and my boobs are a little smaller. But it is no more or less beautiful now than it was on this day. The first day I took my perfect little princess swimming!
Okay enough about me. There was another bathing beauty there that day and she deserves a mention too! Here is little Sonora, proudly showing off her adorable tummy before we headed into the pool. If I have anything to say about it, this wont be the last time this little mermaid swims without a second thought about how her cute little body looks in a bathing suit. I will do my best to show her how to be confident in herself. I will lead by example.
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