A Sincere Apology To My Body

Over the last few months, when I’ve looked in the mirror what has looked back at me I’ve grown to despise.

This might seem quite a harsh words to use but to not be happy in your own skin anymore can be soul destroying. Everything I wear, I feel like it doesn’t fit, I have no idea what to wear after baby number two. To look and think your not quite sure who is looking back at you anymore.

Then this week I looked again realised I hadn’t really given my body any gratitude as it’s done some amazing things over the years and just maybe I need to see its achievements rather than its failures.

I stand in the mirror and see stretch marks, a stomach that is still pretty wobbly since baby number two. What I should be saying is I’m sorry body, you have allowed me to grow two beautiful children and kept them safe for 18 months in total. You’ve been stretched and took the strain to allow them to grow and flourish. Both pregnancy’s have left behind stretch marks in there wake but I need to remember you’ve birthed two babies with a combined 7 days of labour and still suffering lasting pain to bring my babies into the world. I should be full of joy that my body has allowed this rather than looking at it in disgust that it hasn’t managed to *bounce back this time. For 7 months you allowed me to breast feed night after night with constant cluster feeds and bouts of mastitis and you still managed to keep up my supply and keep me going. My boobs may not be quite the same but you were too busy feeding my baby to worry about the lasting affects.

Day in and day out it I mistreat my body by rushing meals missing meals because I’m too busy chasing two children when really I should be apologising for the years of neglect I’ve put you through.

After Post Natal depression you stayed with me even If I thought my mind had failed me. Really I should be saying thank you body for all the things you have done for me over the years.

So next time you look in the mirror try to think what achievements your body has done rather than the negatives of what it hasn’t quite achieved yet. I know I will.