How to Love Your Body After Having a Baby

Giving birth to a baby can be a profound, life-changing event. Not only will your priorities and sleep patterns shift, your body will go through some changes too. As a new mother, you may struggle to love your post-baby body, especially while you juggling caring for a newborn with caring for yourself. You can learn to love your body after giving birth by taking steps to embrace your post-baby body with positive thinking and positive actions. You can also invest in self-care and reach out to others for support.

Method 1 - Embracing Your Post-Baby Body

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→ Avoid comparing your body to others. Try not to compare your post-baby body to your friend who can somehow fit into a size 2 after giving birth or to celebrities who are photographed in bikinis after they have a baby. Giving birth affects every woman’s body in different ways, and comparing yourself to others will only lead to unrealistic expectations and negative thoughts. Focus instead on your body and your needs, rather than the post-baby bodies of others.

→ Start by blocking out images from the media that show “perfect” post-baby bodies. Avoid looking at celebrities and models who appear perfect and skinny as new moms in magazines and online.

→ You may also have to unfollow other new moms on social media for a while.

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→ Flaunt your new shape. Try to celebrate your new body shape and not stress as much about having the “perfect” body. Women who have recently given birth will often have bigger breasts, fuller hips, and carry more weight overall. Dress in ways that flaunt your new shape so you can see these changes as assets, rather than issues to be fixed.

→ For example, you may wear a low cut top to show off your new cleavage. Or you may wear belts high on your waist to accentuate your new curves. You can also wear clothing that hug your new shape so you can feel confident and sexy in your post-baby body.

→ Put together a few outfits that are comfortable and that make you feel confident and rotate these outfits for a while. You might also consider buying yourself a few new outfits that you can wear during this time.

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→ Use positive affirmations. Embrace your post-baby body by using positive affirmations on a daily basis. Remind yourself that you are beautiful, strong, and important person. Use “I” statements when you say the affirmations, preferably to your reflection in the mirror first thing in the morning.

→ For example, you may use positive affirmations like, “I am beautiful and strong” or “I accept and love my body as it is.”

→ You can also try affirmations like “I will not worry about my body right now” or “I will not compare my body to others.”

→ Also, try to remind yourself of what your body allowed you to do: grow and give birth to a child. Verbalize your gratefulness for this experience.

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→ Do a post-baby photo shoot. Some new moms have found it helpful to embrace their post-baby body with a photo shoot celebrating their appearance. You may arrange a photo shoot where you are naked, exposing your body in all its glory. You may also get photographs with your newborn baby to celebrate the new addition to your family.

→ Search online for photographers who do post-baby photo shoots. You can also ask new moms if they have gotten a post-baby photo shoot and if they would recommend doing one to help celebrate their post-baby body.

→ Many moms avoid being photographed during this time, but having photos of you and your baby together will be something that your child will treasure when they are older.

Method 2 - Practicing Self-Care

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→ Take some time to pamper yourself. Doing self-care can seem like a challenge with a newborn at home. But taking even five to ten minutes a day to do something for yourself can make a big difference in your physical and mental state. Maybe you have your partner watch the baby while you take a 10 minute soak in the tub. Or maybe you arrange for child care for an hour so you can spend time at a friend’s home and have a spa night. Try to find time in your busy schedule to reconnect with your body and take care of yourself.

→ Sometimes even doing the most basic grooming can make you feel much better. Many new moms struggle to fit in time to even wash their hair or put on makeup. Try to set aside five to ten minutes in the day to groom yourself in small ways so you can feel more positive about your appearance. Ask other moms how they keep their babies occupied and safe while they do these things. It is important to maintain your self-care routine during this time.

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→ Do quick and easy exercises at home. Doing exercise can make you feel better and improve your body image overall. As a busy new mom, you may not have time to do an hour long fitness class at the gym or intense workouts. Instead, try fitting in quick and easy exercises at home while the baby is napping or while a caregiver is watching the baby. Doing a little bit of exercise can make you feel more positive about your body.

→ For example, you may do a series of lunges and side stretches every morning while the baby is down for a nap. Or maybe you go for a walk or a light jog while your partner watches the baby.

→ You can also take the baby on walks with you. Spending time outside is good for their temperament and sleep. Just make sure your baby is protected from the sun and wind.

→ Another option is to find a gym with child care, if you are comfortable with it and if it is in your price range.

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→ Set time aside to do a relaxing or calming activity. Another big element of self-care is giving yourself the time and space to do something that you find relaxing or calming. This could be a hobby such as painting, drawing, singing, or knitting. Or you may do a calming activity like light yoga stretches or meditation. Make an effort to set aside time in your busy day for even five to ten minutes to do something that will help you relax.

→ For example, you may do a five minute meditation while the baby sleeps. Or you may try painting a small picture throughout the week in five to ten minute increments, whenever you have time off from caring for the baby.

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→ Boost your confidence. You should also focus on boosting your self-confidence as part of self-care. To boost your confidence you may focus on skills that you are good at, such as your mothering skills or your ability to simply get through the day successfully with a newborn. Take the time to acknowledge how hard you are working and how rewarding it is to be a new parent. Remember that it takes perseverance and patience to be a good mother. Giving yourself some credit as a new parent can help to increase your confidence level.

→ One way you can boost your confidence is to take a mental note of all the responsibilities you are juggling as a new mother. Try writing down everything you have accomplished at the end of the day. Tell yourself, "I'm doing a great job despite all that I have to do today" or "I need to give myself more credit for tackling motherhood head on."

Method 3 - Leaning on Others for Support

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→ Share your feelings about your body with your partner. If your partner is present and an active part of your life and the baby’s life, they should be willing to listen to how you are feeling. Lean on your partner for support and love. Tell them about how you are feeling about your body. Having your partner around to listen and comfort you is a good reminder that you are not in this experience alone.

→ For example, you may say to your partner, “I am feeling self-conscious about my body and would appreciate it if you would act as a support” or “I am feeling not great about my body post-pregnancy and it would really help if you could respect my feelings.”

→ If there are other ways that your partner can comfort you, then let them know. For example, you might let them know that compliments and physical affection are helpful to you.

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→ Talk to other mothers. You can also lean on the support and guidance of other mothers who likely experienced or are experiencing many of the same feelings you are post-pregnancy. Talk to mothers in your new mothers class about your feelings about your body. Or lean on the mothers in your circle of friends. Be honest and open about where you’re at. More often than not, many other mothers can relate to your emotions and feelings post-birth.

→ For example, you may say to another mother, “Did you find you had negative feelings about your body after giving birth?” or “I’m struggling with body image post-pregnancy, have you experienced this too?”

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→ Lean on family and friends for support. Do not be afraid to also lean on your social network for support, including close friends and family. Talk to your friends and family about how you are feeling, especially to friends or family who can relate to what you are going through. Perhaps you speak to a family member who has children and experienced body image issues after giving birth.

→ You can also confide in friends who may not have children, but who can still relate to having body image issues. Sometimes, simply chatting to a close friend about where you’re at can make you feel better and feel more positive about your body.