Recently someone responded to my postpartum body with these words: “disgusting, I don’t know what husband would ever want to come home to that.”

First of all, shame on her. If anything is disgusting it is those words. Hurting people hurt people, so maybe she is walking through a really painful season. Regardless, those words were cruel, hurtful, and should never come out of someone’s mouth. We should be supporting each other, as women, and lifting each other up on our journeys to love ourselves.

YES, my body has changed quite dramatically since my pre-baby days, as you can see. But let me tell about the woman in the top photo with the gorgeous tan lines and flat tummy. She mastered shaming her body. She had such a distorted idea of body image and struggled to understand self-love and self-care. She would look into the mirror and find everything wrong with her body and worked hard to fix it. She was beautiful, yet she struggled to embrace what she might call now “flawless.”

Then there is the woman in the bottom photo. She may not have the perfect tummy, gorgeous tan, and a stretch mark free body BUT she has more confidence than she ever has in her life. She knows the value and meaning of embracing your new body and loving yourself. She takes care of herself by reminding her of the beauty in the body staring back at her in the mirror. She is beautiful and can find strength in what some people would call her imperfections. Her body is beautiful, a roadmap of her story, and she worked hard for exactly what it is now.

Carrying a child, let alone 3 at one time, is not an easy task. Yes, the journey came with a whole new body, but I am also a whole new me with a greater understanding of loving myself and that is a GIFT! It’s something I truly appreciate. While physically my body will never be what it once was, I feel like I gained so much more in my heart and mind (not to mention my babies).

Loving your new body is a journey. It takes time and daily affirmations of love and body positivity to really embrace your new body. You CAN change your perspective! You can find the beauty! You must have grace for yourself and the journey you’re on. Don’t compare your old body to your new body picking out all the flaws and imperfections. It will cause more harm than good. Instead, remember this, you’re on a journey. One day at a time, choose to see the beauty because it is there.

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