‘Love Makes You Fat’ Mum Shares Empowering Post Encouraging Women To Appreciate Their Post-Baby Bodies
Laura Mazza has shared an inspiring post about her post baby body [Photo: Facebook/Mum On The Run]
It won’t come as a surprise to any new mum or mum-to-be that your body during and after pregnancy is going to go through more than its fair share of changes. Oh hello, bigger boobs, belly button, backside? But when you consider the fact it’s just housed an entire human, what is a surprise is that we don’t cut our post-baby bodies a bit of slack.
The fact is mums are often so focussed on shifting the baby weight, or getting back in their pre-preggo jeans, they can’t see their bodies for the awesome things they are.
But one new mum wants to change the way society views mothers’ bodies. Laura Mazza who writes parenting blog, Mum on the Run, took to Facebook to share pre and post baby selfies, alongside an empowering essay entitled ‘Love Makes You Fat.’
“No, this isn’t a before and after shot of weight loss. But it is a victory story. I write this from my heart. It hurts. On the left - This was my body before kids,” she wrote next to the comparison pictures of herself.
“No stretch marks or scars from belly button piercings. A belly button that was high. A flat stomach. I was always on a diet back then. And this was the best diet I went on. I used to take photos of my progress.
“Uploading this photo wouldn’t be bad, it’s like me being in a bikini. It’s socially acceptable.”
Laura wants other mums to embrace their post-baby bodies [Photo: Facebook/Mum On The Run]
Laura, who has a seven-month-old little girl and two year-old son, goes on to explain how she used to have a damaging view of her body. “I loved it because I was losing weight rapidly and the more bones that protruded the more I valued myself.”
Detailing how she ate a carb-free diet with “barely any vegetables” and made up almost entirely of meat, Laura said people told her she looked ‘fit’ and ‘healthy’. “But still I looked at this photo, this image of myself, like I was fat. There was nothing wrong with the way I looked. My body was mine.”
Laura goes on to compare how people react to her body now compared to her body back then. “On the right is me now. Stretch marks. A droopy belly button. Thicker, not many bones protruding, but more dimples that represent cellulite. People don’t want to see this photo.”
“All of a sudden it’s not okay. It’s not pleasing to the eye anymore. It’s not a body to be admired.”
“The scars and stretch marks and jiggly tummy is because I made humans. I ate a little more cake, I drank a little more wine. I made mug cakes at 9pm and snuggled on the couch with my husband. But for some reason, I didn’t love this body. It’s sad.”
[Photo: Facebook/Mum On The Run]
Laura said she felt as though her new body didn’t deserve sexy underwear and she would sometimes avoid taking pregnancy photos because she was ‘ashamed’ of how 'big’ she looked.
But the proud mum has recently had a realisation about the worth of her new body.
“But you know what? I have achieved more with this body, then I have with my old body. I’ve eaten more good foods. I’ve lived more, I’ve given more, I’ve enjoyed more. I’ve made life. This body, THIS body should be celebrated and admired.”
“I should admire myself. I should love myself,” she continued.
Wrapping up her post with a sprinkling of body positivity, Laura now wants to encourage other mums to appreciate their bodies.
“No matter what size you are, a size 6 or size 60. You deserve to celebrate it. Sexy underwear AND a new wardrobe,” she wrote.
“So love your body, because you truly really really, only get one! (In this life anyway). And it’s STILL sexy to wear granny jocks! Woop woop!”
And people were quick to applaud Laura on the empowering post, thanking her for inspiring them to think about their bodies in a different way.
“Exactly the same. I was more insecure when I was “skinny” bc I was always chasing “skinnier”. Learning to love myself. Great piece!” wrote one woman.
“As a new mum myself I am getting used to my new mum body and miss my old figure at times but then I do think I made a tiny human and I’m proud of that,” added another.
Can you relate to Laura’s post? Did the way you view your body change after pregnancy? Let us know @YahooStyleUK
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