Body Image - The Pregnant Womans Perspective

Hello again!

For this entry, I've decided that instead of diving into the MANY aspects of body image in pregnancy, I'm going to write about my experiences with my own body image during this pregnancy. That being said, I've had a very small range of emotions when it comes to how I felt about my body so far.

 

I haven't really worried about gaining weight and I only got weighed whenever I went to see my family doctor for my prenatal appointments. Now I do occasionally weigh myself at home (something I rarely did before because I don't ever want to be fixated on a certain number) since, for some reason, the midwives that will be my health caregivers for my pregnancy haven't weighed me. I haven't gotten around to asking them why yet.

Anyway, I'm pretty satisfied with my weight gain so far (25 lbs, from 175 pre-preggo to 200 as of today) and I've been eating healthy (for the most part) as well as I don't give myself the right to eat 'whatever I want, whenever I want" just because I'm pregnant. It's my job that I eat well and take care of myself so I can help this little one to grow healthy. My baby doesn't have it's own voice yet and can't say something like, "Hey mom, I'm growing pretty fast here, let's eat something healthy for lunch instead of that burger and fries so I can grow big and strong and healthy."

That being said, what's life without indulgences? I still have chips and chocolate and ice capps every now and then.

One thing that I can appreciate, is that I don't feel 'fat' (And come on, there is a HUGE difference from fat weight gain and pregnancy weight gain! It drives me UP THE WALL when I meet a pregnant woman who seriously says that she is fat. No, you're not fat, you're pregnant. Yes, you might be uncomfortable, but there is absolutely no reason you should feel self conscious.) I don't even realize that I am as big as I *really* am. If I look in the mirror or look down I think, "Yeah, sure, I have a preggo belly." but as soon as I look at my weekly pregnacy belly pics, I think, "Holy cow! This kid is getting BIG!"

 I am constantly getting stuck between the fridge door and the counter and then it clicks, "oh, right! I have a belly now..." People I know can joke about me being 'fat' and I know they don't mean it and feel secure enough to laugh because I find it it funny. I don't think that it hurts either that once my pre-preggo clothes got too small, they went in a bag and were tucked away in a corner of the basement. I switched them out with other clothes that I could grow with for a while and bought maternity jeans sooner rather than later. If the skinny jeans or tight tops aren't there for me to put on, I can't feel bad about not having clothes that fit properly.

 

As for the 'fat' perspective, I know that I'm gaining weight for a reason and it's not actually fat that I'm gaining. I am supporting a life inside my own body (How cool is that?!) and that the weight I am gaining is:

• the babies weight
• placenta
• extra blood volume (Since your blood volume DOUBLES when you're pregnant)
• extra breast bulk (seriously, I went from a C cup to an E in a few months!)
• the weight of my growing uterus
• amniotic fluid

 I love that I can actually see that I'm pregnant now, there was a period where I really couldn't see the changes in my belly when I looked in the mirror

 

It amazes me when I can see my WHOLE belly move or whenever Victoria decides that it might be fun to play roller derby in utero and gets super aggressive in her movements.

I think it's crazy that I was even a *little* self concious about the way my stomach looked pre-pregnancy... seriously, it was SO flat! I mean, I've never had washboard abs and I've slowly had a little bit of 'growth' the past 5 years, but wow! I am freaking CUTE when I'm not pregnant. (And I'm phrasing it that way because I'm confident that I will still be super cute and hot once Victoria arrives.)

And I suppose it's time to list the (very few) negatives that I've been feeling about being pregnant, and they aren't necessarily about body image, but hey, I don't really complain about my pregnancy woes, so... here goes :)
I dislike that I have to be more dependant on others, especially since I've developed an upper back issue (for which I've started seeing a chiropractor for) and my left hip has started to bug me more. I'm used to being the (sort of) tough girl that can lift big heavy boxes etc. Now I don't even carry the laundry baskets down to the basement or back up the stairs when it's laundry day.

I have to drive to the dog park every morning so my dog can get his exercise since I've already fallen once this winter due to slippery walk ways and and over-excited puppy. Don't worry, I had time enough to think that it would be a good idea if I fell on my side and NOT on my belly. I miss going for walks and Chatum whines in the car almost all the way to the dog park...  a five minute drive, but when you can only really drink decaf, that's a long 5 minutes.

My back muscles get really tight, really quickly. Even holding out the dishes when I'm washing them can be the difference between a nice loose back or super tight muscles and having to go lay down with the rice bags.

Before I realized I was still doing too much, even after cutting down my daily activies and my "to do's", I didn't enjoy being pregnant for a few weeks because I was tiring myself out without even realizing it.

 

Other than those small (and temporary) things, my pregnancy woes are very small and few - and I am grateful that I have WAY more things that I *LOVE* about being pregnant.