It seems like the new trend now in Nigeria is to glamorize the post baby bodies of celebrities. We do it too.
This leaves normal women wondering if there is something wrong with them, when they still look 6 months pregnant, months after giving birth.
One Mamalette reader even sent us a personal message which we posted on our Facebook wall.
“What can we do to get rid of that excess tummy? Because really we can’t all be like the celebs. They put themselves through so much just to be cute in the public eye but in the real world its different, and honestly if you say ‘exercise’ its impossible when you are a mother of 4, working both @ home and in the office.” she said.
Your body changes during pregnancy, everyone knows that. But for many women, some of those changes are permanent. No matter what the media tells you, your body will probably not look the same after giving birth.
“Pregnancy is beautiful. If you want to feel your body at its fullest empowerment, the “changes” are worth it. It’s not like a cancer, you are creating life, and a woman is at her strongest in pregnancy and delivery.”
Many women are left with scars, stretch marks, and loose skin after giving birth. Some mothers also report changes such as larger feet, bigger rib cages, larger thighs and bigger bottoms as their legacy from their pregnancies.
Sometimes some of the above get bigger or larger with each subsequent pregnancy.
The photo shopped images we see online and in glossy magazines, don’t show any of this, instead we are made to believe that women look the same after childbirth. This is usually untrue.
If you look around you most Nigerian mothers are not size 8’s or size 10’s rather they are beautiful, voluptuous and fashionable women who carry their bodies well no matter what size they are.
Pregnancy and childbirth can put a lot of strain on a woman’s body, but many Nigerian women do not mind because the end results, children more than makes up for any physical discomfort or change.
The truth is while every woman who puts on weight during pregnancy should make a conscious effort to lose weight, women should also be realistic in their weight loss goals.
Even though you may not look as good as you once did, embrace and love your body. Just knowing that you have the capability to sustain a life and bring a new human into the world makes you beautiful.
