Thoughts On The Mama Pooch…
I get a lot of clients who come to me saying they really want to lose the “mama pooch.” They say that ever since having baby this “trouble spot” just won’t go away no matter what they do.
And they’re willing to go to do anything to get rid of the mama pooch once and for all.
And before I had kids I was in full support of this mission. “You can do it! Let’s get that flat tummy back! I’m here to help!”
And now I’ve had a baby of my own. And I also have a mama pooch.
Sure, mine may not be as “pooch-y” as others since I’m a Pilates instructor. So maybe I shouldn’t complain…
But maybe we all shouldn’t complain.
Like I said, I’m a Pilates instructor. I did Pilates every day for years leading up to my pregnancy. I did Pilates throughout my pregnancy, right up to my due date, and still do it.
And I STILL have the mama pooch.
But here’s what I’ve been thinking now that I’ve joined this club of women with a little extra wiggle in the middle.
Who cares?
What’s the big deal?
Seriously. Why is it such a problem to have a little extra belly?
There was a time in my life when I would have loathed it. I would have criticized myself in the mirror. I would have complained. I would have tried diet after diet to get rid of it. And I would have been embarassed by the imaginary group of people who are staring at my mama pooch anytime I leave the house.
But thankfully, I’ve changed.
I don’t hate the mama pooch.
It’s really not that big of a deal and maybe “we” as a collective mama pooch club could decide to stop obsessing about it.
Maybe we could let it go.
I mean, how does the pooch get in the way of living a happy, full life?
It doesn’t.
Unless of course you’re expected to walk the red carpet or pose for US Magazine…then I could understand. Or if you’re expected to be in a swimsuit on national television…then I *maybe* I could understand the pressure to get rid of it.
But most of us don’t have to worry about that.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to be in the “Celebrities, They’re Just Like Us” section any time soon and I don’t have plans to host a pool party on national TV (shocking, I know).
Those magazines somehow lead us to believe that we are on the same stage as celebrities, open to scrutiny from the public eye at any given point.
But most of us aren’t.
Most of us just get dressed, go to work, take care of our kids, hang out with our families and hang out with close friends.
And I don’t see how the pooch affects any of that.
So why are we spending so much time worrying about it?
I know it can be a confidence issue for some….but confidence doesn’t come solely from changing your body. It comes from changing your perspective.
Let’s remember friends…we grew humans!
Real, live humans!
And we have a little souvenir to show for it.
It’s the way our bodies were made.
So today, and every day, I’m choosing to wear my pooch with pride.
When I acknowledge my little belly my husband says “stop it, you look great” to reassure me. But then I reassure HIM that I’m not concerned. I’m acknowledging it because it reminds me of my pregnancy and how much I loved it. It reminds me of the greatest, strongest, most powerful day of my life when I gave birth to our little girl.
I’m proud of it.
So can we drop this whole obssessing over the pooch thing?
We all have it. We have it because we did an incredible, miraculous thing. And some women would give anything to have a chance to experience that gift.
I’m all for getting back into shape. I’m all for re-building muscle and re-gaining strength. I’m all for doing challenging core work to keep yourself fit.
But do it with grace and do it with pride.
And next time you have a negative thought about your belly, go grab your babies and give them lots of love. Because they were, and are, so worth it.
xo,
PS – You may also like Chasing Perfection, My Journey To Find Balance With Body Image and Change Your Mind, Change Your Body.
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