Written by Andrea L. Smith

I had never been body-shamed before. Not until I gave birth to my son last year. Getting my first, “You need to stop eating so much” was like a slap to my face. I processed it, then let it go because I knew my weight had nothing to do with over-eating. I had just given birth two months ago, plus there were after-birth complications that made it impossible to exercise. Also, keep in mind I was exclusively breastfeeding, and contrary to what people may think, breastfeeding does not automatically shed
weight.

In fact, there’s some evidence that prolactin, the hormone responsible to produce breastmilk, not only slows down the body’s metabolism of fat but may also increase your appetite. In a 2004 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that lactating women retained more weight than non-lactating women, presumably “due to the influence of prolactin on appetite stimulation.” (source:
todaysparent.com).

But let me digress no further. The body-shaming comments kept coming, and they began to take a toll on my mental health/ self-confidence. What made it worse was that they were all coming from women and most of them are mothers as well. It took some next-level pep talk from my husband to make me realize that, while my size six body is no more, I can own my size twelve like the boss I am. I haven’t looked back since.

If you are like me, struggling to return to your pre-baby weight, first, let me tell you it’s okay. Let’s not normalize the ‘snap-back’ and put added pressure on ourselves. Aren’t we already encumbered with raising our little ones?

Now, I’m not anti-exercise. I endorse it. But first, we must focus on loving our bodies as they are now, ignore the negative comments, then work on getting our desired figures back. Physically, I’m still a work in progress. But I have gotten a few tips to bring my pre-baby body back and I have been using them each day.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional/nutritionist, and in no way am I saying these three tips are tried-and-true. But they work for me, and I want to share them with you.

Wearing a Postpartum Belt/Belly Band

The main purpose of a postpartum belt is to support and align your stomach until your abdominal organs and muscles can do their normal jobs again. They can also help with floppy and loose skin and provide light compression to help your uterus shrink. I discovered the belt a few months after giving birth, but it works wonders to shrink and shape my stomach. It’s recommended to start using this about a week after giving birth—if there are no medical complications, that is.

Exercise

Easier said than done, I know. It’s hard to find time to work out when you have a million things to get done. But my strategy is to exercise first thing in the morning, so I don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day. Plus, I usually have more energy then, so it’s easier to do.

Diet

If you are a breastfeeding mom like me, your hunger levels may always be at an all-time high. But it’s important not to get carried away and splurge, especially at night. Eating nutritional foods in small portions is key. Reduce your portions as it gets later in the day. Cut down on sugar and carbs. The bottom line, fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods.

Listen, Mommy. Your body doesn’t need to snap back. Butterflies don’t go back to being caterpillars. Always remember this, Sis. You are a butterfly!