A Mummy Body

Today’s post doesn’t require a tissue box, (I should buy shares in Kleenex though) I promise…it’s on the lighter side and is inspired by anybody and everybody with a Mummy body, or a body that’s experienced any type of significant change or transformation. Anyone with a beautiful, brave, special body. In fact now more than ever I realise just how special our bodies are, and how important it is to love them, appreciate them and be kind to them.

Despite carrying our little Lily to just 25 weeks I feel I am still qualified to make a few comments on what it is like to have a ‘Mummy body’.

Mr T will testify that pre Lily it was (I’m trying really hard to stop this bad lady habit) too common for me to complain about this little fat bit here and there. Mind you, this has never stopped me from maintaining a healthy appetite, eating regularly or indulging in ice cream, chocolate and corn chips (some of my favourites, but not all at the same time…)

Being a Mummy has given me a new found appreciation for the body I live in, and the amazing things our bodies can achieve; not just child birth either.

Mr T will also tell you that before Lily, I was what some might say a little bit exercise crazy, there was a period there where even SeanT’s insanity didn’t cut it…what an outsider looking into our garage each morning at 5am would see (for about the last 4 years), probably resembled many people’s bad dreams. A boot camp style high intensity, sweat till you die and can’t move kind of workout…rain, hail, shine, five days a week; sore body or not.

This process has taught me, much to Mr T’s relief, that it is totally unnecessary to be training constantly as if preparing myself for an Olympic decathlon. Michelle Bridges is awesome, but so am I!

Post Lily, I have begun walking our puppy, but will admit that I am keen to do build a little bit of strength back again. Exercise has always been my stress relief and a major part of my coping strategy, so at the moment 4 laps of the park and post pregnancy speed with the dog doesn’t just quite do it. The other day when I left the hospital, I just wanted to run…as fast as I could…as far as I could…until I couldn’t go any further; I wanted to feel the burn in my legs, the tightness in my chest; to clear my head. Unfortunately though, that while my head said yes to this, my body still says a big no! I am learning to be patient though, and before long I know I’ll be able to get a bit more of a sweat up, when my lower abdomen doesn’t feel like a simple giggle requires a quick dash to the toilet or that you’ve just done the ab workout from hell.

Even though I’d like to feel a little fitter, I have a new love for the soft squishy tummy I have grown, and even though it’s mostly gone back to how it was, I kind of like it; I wouldn’t mind keeping this little bit of tummy for a little bit longer.  I think I have been partly grieving not being pregnant for as long as I was meant to be, and while I can still see a little bit of tummy left behind, it feels like I still have a tiny connection to the pregnant body I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to.

Things will change, time changes lots of things, and for me Lily has given me a new perspective on bodies, exercise and loving the bodies we have…

So, the next time I look in the mirror, I think I’ll be just a little bit kinder to myself and more importantly kinder and more understanding of those around me. Who knows what their amazing body has done for them…Probably also just a tad more likely to reach for the extra cinnamon donut I’m eyeing off on the bench.

Yep, that was tasty!