Having a baby can be one of the most joyful experiences in life. However, after birth, many new mothers struggle with body image issues due to changes in their physical appearance. Postpartum body image challenges can range from feelings of insecurity to depression and anxiety. Thankfully, there are steps that can be taken to overcome these struggles.
You’re not alone if you’re a new mom feeling discouraged about your body image. Many women experience postpartum body image challenges, and there are several steps you can take to overcome them. These include practicing self-care, stopping the weighing machine, and re-framing your thoughts. These steps will help you embrace your new body and start to feel happy with it.
Reframe your thinking about your body
Reframe your thinking about your body image challenges and find ways to feel better about yourself. Pregnancy causes drastic changes to your body, and some women may experience body dissatisfaction. This can range from negative thoughts to body dysmorphia. As a result, body image is important to your mental health. Here are some ways to cope with postpartum body dissatisfaction.
To start, reframe your thinking about your body image challenges. The world has become very visual and distorted since our earliest days. Even magazines portray women with unrealistically thin bodies. Celebrities have access to services we don’t. They might skip meals and take diet pills. While you might wish to change your appearance, make sure it’s for a better reason than just to look thinner. Skinny doesn’t mean healthy.
Practice self-care
The loss of your pre-pregnancy body can be devastating. You begin to question your worth and appearance and start to feel negative about yourself. Often, postpartum body image problems are related to postpartum depression. In addition to the negative impact on your health and relationship with others, postpartum body image problems can affect your ability to bond with your partner and baby. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome this issue.
To begin the healing process, seek help from professionals who can help you find your ‘new’ body. You can also find resources and activities that will nurture your self-identity and improve your quality of life. The Honest Body Project has several resources for new moms, including a series called After the Baby is Born: A Postpartum Series. It features photos of new moms as well as commentary from the new moms.
Stop weighing yourself
For the postpartum body, stop weighing yourself. This daily ritual can sabotage your health and postpartum body image. Stopping the scale is a powerful tool to find peace with your body. Stopping the scale doesn’t mean giving up your health, it just means making space for mental health. While your weight may fluctuate, it’s perfectly normal. The scale only measures the number you see on the scale, not your worth as a mother or a person.
If you’re struggling with postpartum body image challenges, you’re not alone. You can seek help from a therapist or postpartum support organization for women experiencing this problem. These organizations can help you find a therapist in your area. You can also practice self-love and acceptance. These practices can help you overcome your postpartum body image challenges and find peace with your body.
Among the most common reasons for the postpartum body image challenges are the new motherhood experience. The body changes are completely normal and often feel foreign. But for new moms, the changes can feel overwhelming and difficult to manage. Instead of looking at your body with pride and self-doubt, you will find yourself looking in the mirror with ambivalent feelings. These negative feelings can manifest in the form of shame toward your body.
Embrace your postpartum body
Embracing your postpartum body image challenges means embracing a new way of thinking about your body. Your body has changed forever, but you can still move in it. Your body affirmation should be visible, spelled out often, and based on truth. Then, your body image will shift naturally. Here are some tips for making your postpartum body affirmation stick:
The first step in embracing your postpartum body image challenges is to recognize that your new body does not work according to your own timeline. It is not your fault if you feel uncomfortable in your new body. It is not an indication of your inherent worth. You should stop weighing yourself after giving birth. If you feel self-conscious about the scale, then you should stop looking at yourself negatively.
If you are struggling with postpartum body image challenges, seek professional help. Try looking for a therapist or a postpartum support group in your area. Try practicing self-acceptance and self-love to overcome these postpartum body image challenges. This will help you get through the transition to motherhood with confidence. Just as you embrace your new identity, your new body should be too.
Social media can also affect your body image. If you constantly scroll through social media, you’re likely to feel guilty about your body image. You may have unrealistic expectations about how you should look and feel. While a magazine cover can give you a perfect body, it doesn’t mean it’s the best one for you. You’ll need to take time off social media and focus on your own health.
Practice mindfulness
Various health contexts have implemented mindfulness-based interventions for reducing stress and promoting mental well-being, including in pregnancy and the postpartum period. Mindfulness can help new mothers cope with postpartum challenges, including the negative body image that comes with it. However, only limited research has examined whether women use their prenatal mindfulness skills to cope with postpartum body image challenges. This study aimed to examine whether women continued to practice mindfulness a year after childbirth.
One recent study focused on the use of mindfulness in seventy Iranian women. It found that participants experienced fewer postpartum body image challenges when practicing mindful eating. The authors also suggested health care providers include mindfulness in prenatal programs. Research has indicated that pregnancy and early motherhood are associated with cognitive and memory changes. Pregnancy hormones may contribute to fuzzy thinking, but sleep deprivation and the stress of a major life transition may also play a role.
One way to help women cope with postpartum body image challenges is to give them space to talk and explore their feelings. Instead of weighing themselves, practice mindfulness by talking to a trusted friend or family member. This helps women release unrealistic expectations and make peace with where they are now. When you practice mindfulness, your body will begin to heal. You will no longer need to constantly compare yourself to others. And you will begin to feel happier and more confident about yourself.
Overcome Postpartum Body Image Challenges with the help of boudoir photography
After having a baby, it’s common for women to feel self-conscious about their bodies. Boudoir photography can help you feel beautiful and confident again.
Having a baby is a life-changing event. Your body changes and you might not feel like yourself anymore. It’s common to feel self-conscious and have negative thoughts about your postpartum body.
If you’re interested in boudoir photography, look for a photographer who makes you feel comfortable and respected. View their portfolio to get an idea of their style and approach. Then, book a session and get ready to feel like the beautiful, confident woman you are.
Interested in hearing more about a session? Whether it’s Boudoir, Wedding, or Family I can help you out! https://thecreativeshutter.com/connect/
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Laura Turner
The Creative Shutter - Lead Photographer
About the Author
Laura is a boudoir photographer in southern New Jersey who helps women see their true vision and beauty through her lens. She is known for her amazing feather wings, beautiful robes, and large client closet that everyone has access to when they walk into her studio.
When Laura is not taking photos, she’s a busy mom of two who loves spending time with her family and enjoys staying fit by training for her next fitness competition. Her favorite foods are tacos and chocolate cake.
Laura is known for her strong work ethic, dedication, and laser focus when it comes to achieving her goals. Her commitment to her clients is what makes her one of the best boudoir photographers in the tri state area.