Are you a Tiger?

    My body image post-baby is subpar to say the least.  So many things happen to your body in pregnancy that never quite return to normal.  My nails are stronger, my hair is curlier, and my belly is.. well... wobblier.  Once breastfeeding is finished I do not even know what my boobs are going to look like.  I am guessing something along the lines of a droopy sock.  Ever see a female dog that has nursed a litter? It's a scary sight.  But the dog isn't worrying about this crap.  She is protecting and raising her babies.  Why does it have to be so different for us?

Why is it so hard for us to embrace our new bodies?  Are they ugly and disfigured? Or are they a sign of strength and endurance?  Think about all of the things we had to endure as pregnant women, and then labour.  I am not just talking about the gross stuff like hemorrhoids and gas that could make my dog cry.  I am talking about carrying an extra 15lbs 24/7 for nine months on very little sleep.  I am talking about said baby emerging from your vagina after days of labour and hours of pushing your guts (literally) out.  I am talking about producing food for a mini human being.  These things are exhausting in more ways than running a marathon ever could be.  We work so hard, all of the screaming and crying.  Sometimes the baby cries too.  Often in the beginning you both have a good cry together.  We should be proud of our hard work.  Proud of how our bodies change to help us bring another life into this world.  I have never worked so hard at something in my life.  I should be proud of the new me, and I am trying to be.  It isn't always easy in todays society, but I try.

So yeah, I want to be healthier.  I want to be more physically active.  I want to eat healthier.  But I am not trying to erase what having a baby did to my body.  I just want to have more energy to enjoy raising my son.  I am a tiger, and I earned my stripes.  Nobody can ever take them away from me.