Me then, Me now
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My two parasites happy to be free from me.
On my way to deliver #2 in standard issue yoga pants.
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Myself & friend Devan in the pregnancy uniform: black pants.
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When you are first pregnant it is impossible to imagine how you are going to look. The end is truly unique. There is a large missile protruding from our body which contains a large parasite who is only out for their own survival and comfort. That is why when you turn over from one side to another in bed you get kicked from in the inside “Not this way now I’m on my head” he or she is telling you which is followed by “TURN BACK” pronounced as an elbow to your hip and a another kick somehow reaching into your back |
Some maternity clothes can be fun. Let’s be honest – the high elastic pants can be a dream when you are feeling big. Just pull them up and it’s a touch of support provided by a soft expandable fabric. I've met more than one mom who wished she could still get away with wearing them regularly. The lower pants are much less enjoyable. Too often they are like toddles pants with elastic and buttons that let you expand their holding capacity as time marches and the parasite grows. What I found little use for, especially the second time, were the belly bands. I don’t think I used them even once during the second pregnancy, maybe because your body seems to kick into gear that much quicker and you need the real pregnancy pants that much sooner? Yoga pants are a must when pregnant. They are your comfort wear, casual wear, and in desperation when paired with the right top, dinner wear. Yoga pants should feature in updated Wendy’s commercial.
Shirts were more of a struggle for me. My pre-baby style was almost all Banana Republic Martin fit trousers (straight leg) with a fitted shirt or sweater. I was fortunate to have had a good waist so I looked to accentuate my positive feature while minimizing that which I least liked (thighs). When you have the bun in the oven it’s difficult to rely on your waist as your feature focal point. In
reality the growing bulge is of course the focal point but you are hoping to look as much “you” as possible despite its rapid growth and augmentation of yourself. I did manage to find some tops that I like, but mostly I settled for fitted T-shirts with long sweaters. Interestingly the long sweaters have managed to stick it out past the pregnancies. One piece of clothing advice that should be broadcast to all expecting mother is regardless of how cold you typically are pre pregnancy – you will be warm. Don’t bother with heavy sweaters – you will not need them and probably won’t need much of a winter coat either. Save the money for diapers!
The only fun part for me was the need to bra shop about four times during the second pregnancy (only once during the first).
I can say honestly these few months for me were a long visit to see how the other side lives. I have never been well endowed outside of this pregnancy. I couldn’t believe my body was actually capable of creating almost D cups. The down side to this was the terrible back pain I had for weeks. The experience has defiantly increased my empathy for those who carry a large load on a regular basis. I can only hope the bras for you ladies are made of the same stuff as the high rise pants! Of course my larger bras are now consigned back into the pregnancy bins, perhaps for now, maybe for good.
Shirts were more of a struggle for me. My pre-baby style was almost all Banana Republic Martin fit trousers (straight leg) with a fitted shirt or sweater. I was fortunate to have had a good waist so I looked to accentuate my positive feature while minimizing that which I least liked (thighs). When you have the bun in the oven it’s difficult to rely on your waist as your feature focal point. In
reality the growing bulge is of course the focal point but you are hoping to look as much “you” as possible despite its rapid growth and augmentation of yourself. I did manage to find some tops that I like, but mostly I settled for fitted T-shirts with long sweaters. Interestingly the long sweaters have managed to stick it out past the pregnancies. One piece of clothing advice that should be broadcast to all expecting mother is regardless of how cold you typically are pre pregnancy – you will be warm. Don’t bother with heavy sweaters – you will not need them and probably won’t need much of a winter coat either. Save the money for diapers!
The only fun part for me was the need to bra shop about four times during the second pregnancy (only once during the first).
I can say honestly these few months for me were a long visit to see how the other side lives. I have never been well endowed outside of this pregnancy. I couldn’t believe my body was actually capable of creating almost D cups. The down side to this was the terrible back pain I had for weeks. The experience has defiantly increased my empathy for those who carry a large load on a regular basis. I can only hope the bras for you ladies are made of the same stuff as the high rise pants! Of course my larger bras are now consigned back into the pregnancy bins, perhaps for now, maybe for good.
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The pregnancy bins are where I store one of two wardrobes (pregnancy or regular). When I was early in the second pregnancy I pulled them out and looked through their contents ready to place them into the closet while putting away those regular items which would clearly not fit. In many ways it was like seeing old friends again. A month or so after my second son was born I again went to the bins to put back the pregnancy clothes and see if there were any of my regular clothes that I could (don’t laugh) actually fit or hope to fit soon. Again there are old friends here, some that haven’t been on my body in three years since before the first was born but I am not ready to part with these yet. It took almost a year to lose all the weight from my first pregnancy (30lbs) so I know I cannot give up hope at only 4 ½ months out (only 12lbs to go!).
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Sitting a bit more comfortably in new shorts.
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As I looked at those clothes again, what struck me was my view of myself then and now. I was looking into a bin of size 4 pants and extra small tops. For years and years I would always feel bad about my thighs and worry how I looked in what I was wearing. I seemed to see myself as larger than perhaps I was, I certainly judged myself that way. Post pregnancy number one I was again pre-baby weight but my proportions changed. My ribs seemed to have spread making all those shirts just an inch too short. My waist now is coming back slowly, but there is that bit of muffin hanging around that at 41 may never go away, and the thighs are of course still there, but they are somehow bothering me less. I went out and purchased a bunch of larger sized shorts and carpi pants for the summer and am okay with that. My body will never be the same as it was; I know that from the contents of those bins.
But in reviewing myself then, myself now, and what I wore, I see more fulfillment with my life, and more acceptance of myself. I realize too there must be some forgiveness for myself for all those years of frustration and being my own worst critic. I will again get back to pre-baby status. It may not look exactly the same but I have two beautiful boys to show for it so who really cares. Maybe I’ll even allow myself some extra shopping to celebrate.
But in reviewing myself then, myself now, and what I wore, I see more fulfillment with my life, and more acceptance of myself. I realize too there must be some forgiveness for myself for all those years of frustration and being my own worst critic. I will again get back to pre-baby status. It may not look exactly the same but I have two beautiful boys to show for it so who really cares. Maybe I’ll even allow myself some extra shopping to celebrate.
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Copyright 2012 Motherhood Uncorked
Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.
Links are just fine, though.
Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.
Links are just fine, though.
