Tips for Dealing with Pregnancy Weight Gain // Motherhood

This post brought to you by Maternity Sale

Many of you know that I have struggled with losing the baby weight and it is something that I have written about on the blog before. Something I haven't written about though is the fact that I actually really loved my body while I was pregnant. Despite the fact that I put on quite a bit of weight during both my pregnancies  I actually felt more comfortable dressing my pregnant body than I did my non-pregnant body.


Being pregnant meant that I didn't have to worry about lumps and bumps because I was supposed to have those lumps and bumps! Yes, it has been hard to lose the weight afterwards, but it's giving me a sense of satisfaction in doing so, and it's a great motivating factor to improve my health.

I do wish I hadn't worried so much about my weight before I fell pregnant. It was something I thought about all the time, and if truth be told, I was a little obsessed about it. I worried about what would happen when I was pregnant, but I really shouldn't have. Every pregnant body is beautiful, no matter the size. After I read this guest post submission from Claire I knew I wanted to post it. I think it makes some great points about our pregnant bodies and I'm happy to be sharing it with you today...

Tips for Dealing with Pregnancy Weight Gain 

by Claire Fitzpatrick

Pregnancy weight gain is inevitable; however, there are many different ways to deal with it. Some women buy maternity clothing from specialists such as Maternity Sale , while others prefer to stretch out their existing wardrobe. Pregnancy gives women a chance to show off their new curves, though sometimes such drastic body changes can be overwhelming. It's important to keep the following in mind when thinking about pregnancy weight gain and losing the kilos post-birth...

Making maternity wear my bitch a 31 weeks, May 2013

Pregnancy Is About Gaining Weight, Not Losing Weight

Weight gain is a natural part of pregnancy, however most women fear it more than giving birth itself. Women worry about gaining too much weight, stretch marks, saggy skin, and that their bodies will be drastically different post-pregnancy. Some women put off having children until a later stage because of this fear. The way to overcome this is to accept that your body will need to undergo changes to have a baby, and to concentrate on healthy eating and keeping up a fitness regime, such as yoga or tai chi. Of course your body is going to feel foreign for a while, but pregnancy isn’t just about you. It’s about making sure you’re happy and healthy enough to take care of the baby that is growing inside you.

Don’t Try To Lose Weight During Pregnancy

Pregorexia is a real and serious condition where pregnant women or women who have recently given birth excessively diet and exercise during pregnancy. Over-the-top fitness regimes and insufficient diets can lead to inter-uterine growth retardation, which means a baby isn’t receiving enough nutrients. This can mean the baby is born too small with too little weight, and can suffer seizures due to poor neurological development in the womb. Women who find themselves counting their calories during pregnancy or over-exercising shouldn’t be ashamed to seek help. A woman’s pregnant body is a vessel for a growing child, and the baby needs to be healthy during foetal development and after it is born. Take care of your body, and your body will take care of your baby.

40+5 weeks pregnant, taken just before I left t go to the hospital to be induced with Zee

Ask For Support

It’s good to rely on your family, friends, and even co-workers for support and to talk about the way you’re feeling about the changes to your body. Giving birth is an extreme transition from pregnancy to motherhood, and it’s not always easy. Don’t bottle up your fears and anxieties about losing weight, as it could lead to bigger struggles. The encouragement and reassurance you’ll receive from your friends and family will make you feel better about the adventure you are starting with your newborn baby, and will allow you to appreciate your body for what it is.

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More than anything I am so amazed by what my body was able to do. It created, grew and produced two of the most stunning creatures I've ever seen. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't look at my girls and marvel at the fact that I made them. My body made them! It's really a miracle when you think about it, and how hard it is for so many people as well.

I'm incredibly lucky that I had two very easy pregnancies and was able to get pregnant so easily. Many women are not, and so I try to be thankful for what my body was able to do, rather than lament the way it looked during my pregnancies or how it looks now. I wouldn't give up those little ones for anything.

How did you feel about your body while pregnant? Were you worried about how pregnancy might change your body? How do you feel about it now?

Disclaimer: This post was produced in collaboration with Maternity Sale and I received compensation for my time in publishing it. As per my disclosure policy, I would only ever publish content that I believe in and feel has benefit for my readers.

Claire Fitzpatrick  is studying HR and Politics at Griffith University and Psychology at RMIT. She thinks Jon Snow is a Targaryen, and Pulp Fiction is the greatest movie of all time. In her spare time she writes about the Vietnam War and chases after a toddler who constantly steals her bookmarks.

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