I told you I was going to be 100% real. So here it goes. Today’s topic, drumroll please: Mom Bods. A mom bod, unless you’re some sort of supermodel, is the transformation of our skin and ‘problem areas’ after having kids. First and foremost, I just want to say that every single women should be proud of their body. Ladies, WE NOURISH SMALL HUMANS IN OUR BODIES FOR 10 MONTHS. We do that. If it were up to most men, I think the population would have ended with Adam and Eve. And, let’s not forget, the thousands of women who walk among us every day, who are unable to bare children. If you can’t be proud of your body for yourself, do it for those women.
While I still struggle on the daily to live this truth, it is on the top of the list of things I am working on! With that being said, I was caught off guard the other day, when my, oh so subtle 10 year old, said “what are those line things on your stomach?” I looked down, remembering the first time I noticed my ‘line things,’ and reactively said, “It was all your brother’s fault!” She looked at me like I was insane. Quickly realizing she was right, I explained that they are lines that some people get when the skin stretches too far, usually for women it’s from having babies. She shrugged her shoulders and moved on. I sat there and thought about a quote I heard about stretch marks being like a tiger earning her stripes. Ummm.. can we all agree that tiger stripes are a hell of a lot cooler than stretch marks? I pushed out an 8lb 11oz baby with no meds, and had sciatic nerve pain for the last 3 months of my pregnancy, I do not need ‘stripes’ to remind me of that. I’m a mother f-ing warrior, not a crinkled up piece of paper. Can a girl get a medal or something instead? I’d put that shit on my mantel for sure! But stretch marks?! It just doesn’t seem fair. But with all that said, the only reason my daughter saw my marks was because I was wearing a bikini. I was wearing a bikini because I want to show my daughters that I am proud of my body and all that it has done. Is it a daily struggle? Yes. But worth it.
So, moms, rock your phony tiger stripes. Put sparkles on them, Get tattoos over them if it’ll help you show off your body. Whatever you do, be proud of your body. Be proud of what it can do. Put on the 2 piece bathing suit. Be healthy. Get some exercise and eat right. But, if you still have ‘problem areas’ or ‘line things’ embrace them! Somewhere, another woman would do anything to have your Mom Bod. And sucking it in gets super annoying after a while, am I right?!
“God Bless Women”- Miguel Flores
The Meltdown Mama 