5 Easy Ways to Love Your Post-Natal Body

I knew it, but didn't truly know it before having my daughter. I thought that I'd be one of the lucky few whose body would bounce back effortlessly. Three years later, I was still cringing at the sight of my emergency c-section shelf/pooch when looking at my reflection. It hit me hard that I wasn't the exception. I was the rule.

So let's get to it. How can you love your post-natal body?

Step 1: Stop giving a damn about what other people think...now!

I remember seeing my mum come and collect me from the cinema and I would think, "In what universe does she think those colours match in?" She'd strut, and I mean "strut" up to me and not give a hot damn what other people thought of her. I remember loving that confidence and idealising it. I remember thinking that this must be something that adults had. But it wasn't until I became an adult that I realised that most of us are still 12 year olds, worried about what others might think of us.

Stop being a 12 year old (unless you actually are 12 years old. Oh, and why are you reading this blog about a post-natal body?).

Step 2: Stop looking at fashion magazines!

In my previous blog post I discussed the confidence-killers that are meh fashion. Stop looking at them expecting to feel better about yourself. Stop looking at them period.

You know how Vin and I know when my almost 4 year old really doesn't want to do something? She says "no" and combines that with jazz hands.

So give fashion magazines the big "no" accompanied by those jazz hands.

Step 3: Understand that very few people actually think they're perfect - everyone has something they'd like to change

When I was modeling. Yes, I used to be a model. Well, when I was waiting around to be seen by a client, I was one of about 20 herded into a room waiting to pull a rabbit out of a hat for a client, when one of the other models said, "You know? When I walk out of the house I think, 'Damn girl, you look great!' But then when I come here, I question that initial assessment." That, very honest confession, was met with nervous laughs from all of us because we all felt the EXACT same way.

So we all feel like we don't measure up and that there's something on us that we'd love to change to be prettier, fitter, or whatever-er. The sooner you realise that, the better you'll feel about your post-natal body.

Step 4: Move to Germany, England, Anywhere on the Continent of Africa, or Ireland.

Tis true that most places outside the lovely US-of-A love a curvy lass. There's nothing like being here that has made me feel more like my post-natal body is less disgusting than I had thought when I lived in the US.

If this is not feasible, then skip happily onto the next step.

Step 5: Workout if you want to, but don't beat yourself up if you can't.

I try and jog for at least an hour a day. I'm able to do this because I have an extremely supportive husband, and I work from home. But before I met Vin (and he hates that nickname by the way), it was me, and my little girl, against the world and I had to try and juggle working at a full-time job outside the home, taking her and picking her up from pre-school and all the bits in between.

During those dark ages, I would go to the gym for about an hour after dropping my daughter off at pre-school, prior to going to work. Those were very challenging times for me. If you can do, then be my guest. But if you can't, don't measure yourself against my, or anyone else's yardstick.

Thus, I have decided not to beat myself up if I'm not able to workout. You shouldn't either.

So be less like Carrie, being afraid that they'd all laugh at her (which they did in the end, but she sure as hell showed them), and get out there, and start loving your post-natal body.

Awww, poor Carrie, that was messed up.