As if the physical and emotional aspects of pregnancy aren't enough stress to bear, women's pregnant bodies are constantly scrutinized and judged by others. Are you gaining enough weight? Are you gaining too much weight? Or are you the Goldilocks of motherhood?
For those who struggled with food prior to pregnancy, these 10 months can be exceptionally challenging. Morning sickness, weekly weight checks, a growing belly (and body. . . even despite a real and delicious purpose), sometimes well-intentioned comments about the "right" things to eat--all can rile up an already shaky relationship with food and weight. And, as more and more women are turning to fertility treatments these days, tack on additional pre-pregnancy gain.
A lot of this cannot be stopped. But the comments, they need to cease. Internet magazine Jezebel recently ran an article lambasting the media hoopla around Kim K's gain. I say, we need to apply these words to every expecting mother. Not one woman should be critically commenting on another woman's growing belly. It's the quickest, surest way to devalue the miracle of life.
A lot of this cannot be stopped. But the comments, they need to cease. Internet magazine Jezebel recently ran an article lambasting the media hoopla around Kim K's gain. I say, we need to apply these words to every expecting mother. Not one woman should be critically commenting on another woman's growing belly. It's the quickest, surest way to devalue the miracle of life.
2 comments:
Sadly, this is the result when you base entirely your famousness on your physical image. I don't think Oprah or Michelle Obama would be teased like that if they were in the same position.
As a recovered bulimic of 12 years, I have spent the last 9 years either pregnant (gaining weight) or breastfeeding (trying to get down in weight). Each pregnancy taught me how to further accept my body. I cannot imagine having the media making it there business to comment on my weight gain (though I did have my cousin and grandma comment freely on it). For those that struggle with the inevitable weight gain of being pregnant, let me say IT DOES COME OFF. I have had all types of pregnancy weightloss situations 1) where the weight melted off and I didn't try 2) where I worked out like a fiend to get back into shape (this was with baby #1 and I had all those naps to work out during...and I had something to prove to myself) 3)the type where I had to try a little 4) the type where I had to try A LOT 5) the type where I didn't care.
But it does come off, sometimes faster, sometimes slower. People need to know that your body is a powerful tool and it is intuitively smart. These woman work so hard to be uber-thin, I'm sure there weightgain is in proportion to them finally able to "let go" of being so overly concerned with weight. And still after 12 years of being eating disorder free, I still struggle with thoughts - if you would like to see my blog about How I ate the WHOLE box of Triscuits visit: http://elainemingus.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/i-ate-the-whole-box-of-triscuits/
Or if you like watching videos instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKlhJDgC9NM
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