Does anyone suffer from......

[cparks1]

Body image issues during their pregnancy? Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that me and hubby are going to have a baby, it's unbelievable still to this day. Pre pregnancy, I struggled every day with my weight and struggled to keep it in a heathy range, but yet still wasn't happy with my body. Now that I'm pregnant and have out grown all of my regular clothes (I knew this was going to happen too) I'm getting really self conscious and down about the way I look. I know it's all in my head, but I guess once you have certain standards for yourself it's hard to change (even if it's only for 9 months). I'm not trying to be selfish, even though I know it is. My baby needs to room to grow and trust me baby has plenty of room to grow. Some days I look and feel havier than others. I have eaten a lot of junk over the past few weeks and I have drank more pop during this time than I have in a year. This week I have devoted myself to getting my eating habits back on track since healthy food sounds appetizing again and maybe I will start walking on the treadmill or go easy on the elliptical. I just don't want to gain more weight than I am supposed to and here lately I feel that I have gained an enormous amount of weight. I'm too scared to step on the scale to see what I weigh. Do any of you ever feel like this? I guess I am realizing how anal I was about my weight pre pregnancy.

 

[Linzi]

I was at first, and Im still a bit worried now.

Ive had weight issues for most of my life (wont go into it, long story) but Im not that big, I was a Uk size 12 before I got pregnant. Anyway, when I found out I was so worried about stretchmarks and putting on weight and it really depressed me, because I wanted this baby so badly, but I felt like my weight and appearance were out of my control. In the past when Ive put on weight Ive always known how to get rid of it, but now theres nothing I can do, and that scared me. I dont really know why.

It is a horrible thing to feel, and talk about because people think you're being selfish, but if you've got a history of issues with your appearance then its obviously going to come back when you're pregnant.

When Im worried about my weight now I go swimming and do like a million lengths and feel loads better afterwards. Its really good excersize when you're pregnant and apparently if you're healthy and used to excersize you can handle labour better.

I dont really know what else to say hun, I hope you feel better soon. If you need anyone to talk to drop me a line

xxx

 

[charlottecco2]

I know exactly how you feel. it makes me so depressed that i'm putting on weight. xxx

 

[Serene123]

At first I hated everything about it. Now I love my mummy bits LOL

 

[cparks1]

Thank you all for posting. Linzi, it sounds like you know exactly I feel. It's just hard to get past the fact that I'm going to get bigger and bigger and that my body is going through all these changes. All of the girls that I know except for two of them lost all of their weight plus more after they gave birth (in a short period of time). Two of them look anorexic. I don't want to look like that, but I was 10 or 15 pounds heavier than I was supposed to be before I got pregnant and I'm hoping I lose all this weight I am gaining and some more on top of that. I haven't worked out at all (been too tired or just plain lazy). I need to walk or something because I can already tell my body is out of shape. Thank you all for listening and sharing, I really appreciate it.

 

[Linzi]

Honestly, if you can, swimming is brilliant. Ive managed to tone my legs up completely.

xxx

 

[TashaAndBump]

I've swung from loving my pregnant body to loathing it... I always love the aspects to do with growing a baby in there and it all seems so miraculous etc etc And a lot of the time I have so much love for what my body is doing and for the little person growing in there... However I can't help getting down sometimes - I've always been prone to body insecurity, and suffered from eating problems earlier in my teenage years, and these are obviously worsened by all the hormones during pregnancy......

I haven't actually gained that much weight, but I feel like my bum and hips have blown right up, and I've become a bit detatched from my body - seeing it as a baby-making machine rather than a sexual womanly body. The leaking breasts has added to this a lot... I also worry a lot about what my body will be like after the birth - will I ever be able to tone up my tummy again? Will I be stuck with loads of purple stretchmarks and sagginess?

To a degree, I think these worries are normal, sucky as they are. But if they're really getting you down, to the point that you're feeling depressed regularly, you should talk to someone about it - your midwife or doctor perhaps?

What does your other half think of your changing body?

 

[Lauren-x]

I've never really been concerned with my weight, the BabyDaddy always used to make me feel happy about the way I was I just worried what other people will think but I learned not to think about them. Now if I get alot bigger from baby weight I won't mind because the little Bean needs all the room it can get . Just think nobody should judge you, your pregnant! And no matter how much weight you put on it'll be worth it, and if it does make you feel better to exercise then you should I think I'll start going swimming again to try and keep my weight lowish.

I'm UK size 10, but I'm tall aswel. Only problem with swimming is not many friends would come because alot of them are quite overweight so they are self concious. And if you ask me you are not being selfish at all, it's just another worry that comes with pregnancy.

 

[Shannon]

I know what you mean, I was working out 5 days a week and just starting to drop a little weight right before I got pregnant...Dont get me wrong I was only over about 10 lbs and lost at least 7 right before it happened but more than the weight, I wanted to be in shape and toned. We were expecting to be pregnant but now it hit me whats going to happen to my body? I cant wait to have my baby i am soooo happy but I also fear putting on to much weight and getting to many stretch marks, i am to young to want to hide myself. The baby is going to be a blessing and make our lifes change for the better, but I am a firm believer that you your relationship with your spouse is just a important and I, in no way want him to feel I am no longer attractive And of course he has a solid body from going to the gym EVERY day so that dosent help me either...I am just going to eat right try to keep to the 25-35 lbd gain range and pray!!!!! ALOT

 

[Holldoll]

I'm having a hard time with the scale going up. I lost 23 lbs. before I got pregnant and I'm having a really hard time watching it get closer to that big number. My body still looks okay and I haven't gotten big anywhere else, but I'm terrified of it!

 

[AquaDementia]

yes, i am very horrible when it comes to body image and self esteem
pre-pregnancy i was 128lbs, now I am 166lbs. I am a short girl (5'3'') and I know that I look just very huge. I don't feel attractive in the least bit.
I love my belly and my baby, and I am happy that I don't have any stretchmarks, but I just don't like the fact that none of my old clothes can't fit me (not even the tops) and I don't like being heavy.
I was never a skinny girl, but gaining too much weight was always my biggest fear. Call me vain, but I can't help but feel that way.

Everyone tells me to cheer up because gaining weight is good for the baby, and since I love this baby more than anything I guess it is a small sacrifice to make to bring a new life to the world.

 

[missjess]

I totally understand how you feel! I worked so hard last year to get a perfect body, I was working out so much eating very well etc. I use to LOVE my body last summer.

Ever since I got pregnant I've been gaining loads of weight, been eating quite a lot of crap, started eating a second plate at dinner... Now I've gained 35lbs. I'm just scared of how much weight I will gain in the next few weeks. I feel so depressed, feel fat and ugly. I'm scared of getting stretch marks too. OH as been really supportive and keeps telling me everything will be fine, that we'll go working out together when baby arrives, but I just feel like shit for now! I just hope I get my body back.....

 

[BurtonBaby]

I know how you feel girls. I put on a little bit of weight before getting pregnant, and I was working on taking it off. Then when I found out, it was hard. I still worry about how I look, even tho its pretty much all bump. (I've only gained 9lbs as of my last Dr. appt.) I constantly check myself when I walk past a mirror, or even a window! My DH thinks I'm nuts sometimes, but it's just a girl thing. Although more recently, I've been much more comfortable at home walking around exposed. It was hard at first, and I would always cover everything up, but DH loves my tummy. I hope your hunny is supportive, it has made it so much easier for me.

My mom is a health nut, so if I put on ANY weight, she is the first to tell me. Its been hard throughout all of this, because she is constantly telling me that the first thing I need to do after the baby is go on a diet, and hit the gym daily. (I agree about the gym, and eating healthy, but I'm planning on breastfeeding so I still need to have sufficient calories for the baby.) Last night she came over with some In Shape mags for me. I appreciate it, but I also really just need the support and reassurance from DH to make me feel good about myself with how my body looks right now. Try not to worry too much right now, enjoy your pregnancy, and having a healthy LO, and you can take off any weight after the baby. Also, breastfeeding helps lose weight. I heard it burns something like 500 calories a day.

 

[AquaDementia]

I just hate when my mom tells me, oh I went to deliver you weighing 125 lbs!!
grrr...I don't wanna know that!

 

[missjess]

I just hate when my mom tells me, oh I went to deliver you weighing 125 lbs!!
grrr...I don't wanna know that!

OMG !!!! that's crazy !

 

[AquaDementia]

yeah, no kidding, doesn't help me in the least bit!

 

[cparks1]

My hubby hasn't really said anything about my weight. He can tell my body has changed and makes comments like "What's in there". He is just a silly guy. He does say that my breasts are huge, massive in girth, and are heavy and maybe a little firmer than what they used to be. So far, I am gaining weight in the tummy area (of course), my breasts, and my upper arms. I'm only 16 weeks and feel that I am bigger than what the norm is. Maybe that is just me being self conscious. I am very thankful for this miracle and I know that the baby needs room to grow and I am trying to do everything right to make it a healthy environment for the baby. I just worry about how huge I will get and if I'm gonna lose all of this weight. Like one poster said, I need to think of my body as a baby making machine now instead of a sexual womanly body. Thank you for the support ladies, I really appreciate it.

 

[AquaDementia]

I hate the weight gain in my upper arms

 

[Linzi]

yes, i am very horrible when it comes to body image and self esteem
pre-pregnancy i was 128lbs, now I am 166lbs. I am a short girl (5'3'') and I know that I look just very huge. I don't feel attractive in the least bit.
I love my belly and my baby, and I am happy that I don't have any stretchmarks, but I just don't like the fact that none of my old clothes can't fit me (not even the tops) and I don't like being heavy.
I was never a skinny girl, but gaining too much weight was always my biggest fear. Call me vain, but I can't help but feel that way.

Everyone tells me to cheer up because gaining weight is good for the baby, and since I love this baby more than anything I guess it is a small sacrifice to make to bring a new life to the world.

I know what you mean about the clothes. I had a bit of a hysterical hour before my works do. I hadn't realised how much my boobs had grown until I realised nothing fitted anymore.

Just another excuse to go shopping though

xxx

 

[Margerle]

I know exactly what you mean.

I was about 15 pounds over my ideal weight when we got pregnant, and though I wasn't particularly obsessive about it, I do try to keep my body in check.

DH has been very good to me, and very supportive of my getting bigger. He tends to be a butt man, so the extra girth there is pretty nice in his opinion. But he is not a breast man lol, and God gave me very large ones... especially when pregnant.

He does joke around a bit at how huge they have gotten. I mentioned that they leak pretty good the first month or so after having the baby and breastfeeding (overactive letdown) and his eyes just got big around... I don't think he was expecting that. I got a little embarrased, but I guess since we're married I ought not be so sensitive. lol

The only other thing that I consider is that he normally dated women who were very small in stature (5'0 give or take), and I'm quite a lot taller at 5'10". I outweighed his first wife by 70 lbs and as I noted I'm not really overweight! But it's hard to put that into perspective when you're looking at raw numbers.

I tend to loose quite a lot of weight breastfeeding (with last DD I weighed 150 upon getting pregnant - gained 45 pounds, and by 6 months has lost all but 10 of those). This one I imagine will be more difficult, so I'm trying to watch what I eat and how much I gain, though I'm hoping the breastfeeding will help me loose too.

I absolutely love being pregnant, but there are so many changes going on in our bodies, it is hard not to have body image issues in our modern 'think thin' culture even though the pregnant body is one of the most beautiful things.