Let’s have a conversation. I hope you read this intently and know that I am speaking to you, woman to woman, heart to heart. First of all, I congratulate you on the miracle you have been blessed to be part of the miracle of carrying a child. Woman, you are unique, your body did wonders and stretched itself beyond what you could have imagined. Be proud of yourself.

I want to remind you of the importance of loving your body at whatever stage you are in. There is the notion that if you are trying to improve yourself, you must not like who you are now. But two things can exist at the same time. You can love yourself and your body yet challenge it to be a version of what you see. Let’s look at it this way: you can love your significant other, but that doesn’t mean there are no changes and improvements you want to see in them as they progress in the relationship. This is the same for your body.

Love your body, every part of it, every curve, stretch mark, cellulite, giggle and wiggle, fold, muscle, and inch of yourself. Speak positively about your body, celebrate your body, and appreciate your body because it is through this beautiful vessel you have carried your bundle of joy. Your body is powerful, resilient, and vital. Because you love it, you want to take care of it, improve it, maintain it, and care for it.

As you are on the path to healing from DR, never for a moment stop loving yourself. Even when the results are not coming as fast as you want or when you have a season of inactivity, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back up again. Allow yourself time to see the changes you want to see, as you put in the work remember nothing happens overnight. You carried a child for many months, allow yourself many months to recover, heal, and begin the journey to restoration.

When carrying a child, our body goes through so much, so please do not be pressured by society to be like anyone else. Don’t be pressured by the “snap back” phenomenon. Everyone's journey is different, some mothers lose all the weight immediately and some don’t, some gain a ton of weight and some don’t, some have abdominal separation, and some don’t, some can breastfeed and some don’t produce milk. Everyone’s journey is different, so give yourself grace and grow based on your own journey.

I want to encourage you to continue to love your body. As you look to reclaim it and restore it you have to first love it as it is. Love your body you have. I am rooting for you…. take it one day at a time and remember you and a thousand other mothers around the world are on this journey together.