the "pre-baby body” epidemic

For some women, finding out you are pregnant brings the obvious excitement of becoming a mother/adding a baby to your brood.
But for others, the first thing that flashes into their mind is weight. How much weight will I gain? Will I be able to lose it quickly? Will I get back to my “pre-baby” weight?
I am constantly being asked in Instagram direct messages if I would like to join “insert fad diet here” to lose some of that extra weight from the baby. With every scroll down my social media, I see a different woman in work out gear posting different exercise programs, her meal planning tips, how many steps she walked that day, ways to get my “pre-baby body” back.
I am not hating on these things at all.
I envy all the women who wake up early to exercise, I have thought about it but failed day after day because after being up a time or two in the middle of the night – I have no desire to wake up again in practically the middle of the night and work out. Yes, yes I know it will give me energy and make me feel good. I get it.
I think it is great that so many women buy organic, grass fed, non GMO, gluten free, dairy free, everything free food for themselves and their families. I know that dessert I had last night isn’t going to make bathing suit season any easier for me.
But let me just stop you all for a second and ask you one thing.
Can we please for the love of all things good in the world STOP reaching for our “pre-baby bodies”?
Now, I am not saying that reaching your pre-baby body goal is unattainable, because its not. Certainly many women hit that starting weight they were when they first found out about their impending pregnancy. But why is THAT our ideal body?
Pre-baby me has been a 90 pound 19 year old girl on depression medication that never slept and worried herself to near death.
Pre-baby me has also been a 145 pound 23 year old girl that worked longer hours than ever before and ate out every meal of every day.
Pre-baby me was a 128 pound 25 year old happily in love woman with a great man by her side, a relatively healthy mental state (all things considered).
Four years, two kids, three years of marriage, two houses, two states, and three dogs later – I am a 135 pound wife and mother of two toddlers.
Am I 100% happy with where my body is at right now? No. Could I do a lot more exercising and watching what I eat? Absolutely. But will my goal EVER be my “pre-baby” weight or body? Hell no.
I am four years older, I have grown and given birth to two human beings. I don’t sleep enough, I drink too much coffee, and sometimes I eat fast food.
But you know what, I am happy with my life and myself. I don’t cringe and start working out nonstop when bathing suit season comes around because I know that chances are when I put on a bathing suit, I will be too busy chasing my toddlers in two different directions to even notice if my thighs touch or my stomach jiggles.
Mommas – it is okay to reach for a health goal, a weight goal, a fitness goal, etc. but please be kind to yourself and remember that nothing about your life is the same as it was “pre-baby” and your body doesn’t need to be either.
xoxo K