Thoughts on my stomach

I find it sad that so many women refuse their bodies the honor that they deserve. Even women that you think would know better, women that gave great respect to their pregnant bodies and to the process of pregnancy and childbirth itself, later look at those same stomachs they so lovingly caressed with only thoughts of disgust.

I am sometimes guilty of the same.

But when I am my best self I look at my stomach with more love. I run my hands over the new texture of that skin and remember that I was given blessings so great that my body could not contain them. I see the few shiny white lines that are my remembrance of Ezekiel's time within me, and the surrounding (much more plentiful) angry red ones that are my skin's ode to Malachi, and I know that my body will never be the same as it once was. But then again neither will I. I don't WANT to be. And when I honestly think about it, I don't think I would want my body to be the same either.

I was part of something miraculous. I don't want the physical signs of it to be magically (or medically) erased as if it were something shameful. Definitely not in pursuit of some ridiculous ideal of American perfection, because let's face it, I'm not going to achieve that either way. Very very few of us ever will.

My body has served me well. It is strong and it is able and it is healthy and yes, it is beautiful.

6 comments:

Ellia C. Naturals said...

Not to mention it looks pretty flat already to have just had Mal not that long ago! You are beautiful. Mama!

jules said...

You look great. I love how you wrote this....

Domrese Family Blog said...

Yes, I believe it definitely makes a difference in the fact that you are back down to a reasonable weight already. I would've felt the same way after the boys when I went back to a reasonable size quickly. However, this time, my body has not adjusted as well. I still appear to be like 5 months pregnant. Very annoying.

Darcel said...

Great post! Your belly looks great.
I think we have let society shove down our throats what our bodies "should" look like after pregnancy.

Kari Marchelli said...

Your belly looks pretty darn good for having 2 kids! I will try and keep this post in mind as I've always had body issues and I know there are more to come after the baby doe :) Thanks for the reminder of why my body could look loke this.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much, you don't know what it means to me that you wrote this. Good for you. In my mind I feel the same way as you, but I still can't get over the way my belly looks since I had 2 kids myself. It is pathetic how I have let my body ruin my life now. I cried the first time my husband saw me naked after the baby. I need to think more like you and not let what everyone else thinks get in the way of my life