Postpartum

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Postpartum Thoughts - www.pencilshavingsstudio.com

Stream of consciousness on weight and post-pregnancy issues today. I’ve decided that the postpartum period is just about as irritating and frustrating as those first few months of pregnancy when you want to look pregnant, but all you look is chubby. Except now I’m definitely not pregnant and carrying around an extra 20 pounds. I gained a total of 50 pounds this pregnancy(!) so I know I shouldn’t complain that 30 pounds came off relatively easily (if you consider a c-section easy??). But I’m definitely tired of none of my pants fitting, maternity or regular.baby-in-a-swing

I’ve also decided that shopping for clothes postpartum is much like what people say about making sales calls. You know the old saying: it takes ten “no”s to get a yes? Well it’s the same with pants. It takes ten pairs of “OH LORD NO” to find a “ok, this will do.”  Somehow they ALL create this horrific muffin top. This is the stuff NOBODY tells you about having a baby!  So I’ve gone from store to store to store to find jeans that will carry  me through and I finally landed on these pale blue curvy skinnies from Loft that are oh-so soft. My only complaint is that they stretch out a bit quickly but snap back into shape after being washed.

But on the flip side, I worry about getting too comfortable with this extra 20 pounds. Like maybe it’s a good thing to have this frustration because it will motivate me to shed the pounds, you know?  Oh, and the other challenge is not falling into the trap of wearing yoga pants every single day. I feel better when I’m dressed in real clothes! Much like when I was dealing with having an ostomy appliance, I’ve decided that the best thing to do is to buy myself a few things that make me feel as good as possible in the interim (dressing for where I am NOW – not where I want to be).

A few things that have helped:

1. Putting away all the maternity clothes. I was ready to burn them in a bonfire complete with me dancing around it playing a lute like some kind of weird postpartum ritual. I’ve hung on to a few tank tops because I love the longer length of them.

2. Cleaning out my closet of clothes that I know I won’t be wearing again. Old tank tops, tee shirts, etc. are all being packed up and sent to Goodwill. It feels good to have a fresh start and encourages me to rediscover some old favorites.

3. Having grace on my csection belly. Archer was worth it all, to be sure, and it’s slowly flattening out. I can be grateful to have a healthy body that created a healthy baby.

4. Accessories. My feet did go back (mostly) to their pre-pregnancy size, but they’re still a little bit longer than they were previously. A new pair of shoes keeps some basic outfits feeling fresh.

5. Layering. Long cardigans (bought this one at Target and I’m obsessed), drapey tees and tanks, and button-down shirts have all worked in my favor.

6. New haircut. While you can’t drop 20 pounds off your frame overnight, you can get a new outlook with a haircut.

7. Remember: not all stores cater to your body type. I desperately keep trying to make J.Crew’s pants work as it’s my favorite go-to brand, but I also somehow keep forgetting that they cut their pants SUPER slim, and not necessarily in favor of those who are curvy on the bottom. So I’ve got to find other lines that are more forgiving. So far Loft has worked out well as has Boden.

No matter what, I look at that precious baby and think “Thank God!” Stretch marks and all be darned. 🙂

I’d love to hear how you survived the postpartum months. Share in the comments!

with love,
Rachel

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