not a post for the faint of heart... the post baby tummy

I'd like to start off by thanking everyone who has left me kind words on any of these post-baby/scar/weight posts... I appreciate them and more than anything! And for the first time in my life, I hope you know that even with all the little imperfections I joke about, I am PROUD of my body. I wouldn't be sharing all these pictures with the known world if I wasn't, right? The human body is absolutely fascinating to me, especially mine, with all it has gone through. I can officially say I feel STRONG because I AM. Plus, the body of a mother is really a beautiful thing. :)

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Similar to the post on my c-section confessions, if you are a bit wary of all things post-baby, well... you've been warned. I promise a weekend of cute baby pictures and running/race recaps. If that is more your style, skip this post and come back tomorrow. I won't be offended at all :)



I always pride myself in being brutally honest on my blog. Why shouldn't I be? So let's get real. And a little bit vain.

Three tangents (on Tummies) Thursday.

Tangent #1: Just because you've had a baby does not mean you cannot look good. But it does take WORK. I am always getting comments (especially from the people in my ward/church, who have only known me 5+ months pregnant) of "how good I look, for having a baby." I'm not quite sure what this is supposed to mean... I have seen plenty of people who are morbidly obese on the Biggest Loser, and most of them have never had kids before. Granted, there is a period of weight gain required in pregnancy, but like any good weight loss story, it can always come off. It just depends on how much time you are willing to put into the process. I guess what I am saying is that I believe most people CAN look good, regardless if they have had a kid or not.

I may not always remember to wear makeup, match my earrings to my outfits, or wear shirts that don't have stains on them, but I'llbedarned if I forget to get a workout in. At least 5 days a week, I am busting my tail for at least a good 30 minutes (I prefer 60) running, pilates, yoga, weights, whatever. Maybe it's not entirely necessary, but I eat pretty much what I want (like homemade ice cream with oreos!) and would MUCH rather jack up the workouts than restrict my dietary intake.

These pictures (on the left) were taken when I was about 3 months postpartum vs. (on right) almost 11 months pp. Which leads us to Tangent #2: I can't believe I am actually saying this, but I miss my chest. Dearly. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that between these two pictures, the balloons have lost all their oxygen... and then some. I took for granted all those years of having a decent sized chest, because it really does make your stomach look not-so-big. Memo to Mr. D: Go ahead and schedule my "surgery" for January 2021. I don't need them mammoth sized, just back to how big they used to be when we met. :)

Tangent #3: I desperately want some abs of steel!! Although I see a big difference in muscle tone in these two pictures, I know I still have a bit to work on in the tummy department. I am starting the Jillian Michaels Ab workouts post-half marathon, hoping that in 6 weeks (by Baby D's 1st birthday party) I can attempt to tighten and tone more of what I have to work with... since while I am only a few pounds off my target, the only part of my body that continues to struggle is this poor tummy of mine:

I warned you! My poor sisters... I know you are reading this. I may never get nieces or nephews now! I promise you, it is worth it! I may still be vain as a high school senior but having Baby D is worth all the saggy skin he left behind. :) Hence the reason I cannot and will not (possibly ever) wear a bikini. So know you know when you see a starlet, post-baby, rocking a bikini... SHE HAS HAD WORK DONE! Maybe Mr. D can go ahead and schedule that tummy tuck right after the implants? We will see if Jillian can help me out here. It does make me really feel for those poor BL contestants... can you imagine all the extra skin you would have if you were suddenly, within 6 months or so, half your weight?!

I guess the important thing with these tangents is that what everyone had been telling me all along was TRUE (can you believe it?!), that it really does take about a year, post baby, for your body to get back to  "normal" (or as close as it is going to get). So...barring any miraculous conceptions, I will be happy to enjoy the body I have worked so hard for for the next year till we try again for #2. And maybe this time I'll learn my lesson and not gain 50 pounds :)

Oh, I suppose I should leave you with something to take the edge of that burning in your eyes from all that skin...