I have to be honest and admit my ignorance here, but I did not realise that post baby I would have a bump still. I mean, by the time I was pregnant I knew as I had friends who had babies before me, but I did not realise how big it would look and how long it would last. It has to be said that 12 hours after giving birth to Burton, when I took him home to meet his family my Dad made a joke about how I looked like I was still pregnant. Luckily for my Dad, I was still in the euphoria of being a new Mummy and just laughed at his quip. However, what if I were a younger less confident woman - a comment like that could really hurt or upset me.
I was seething on Wednesday after seeing that a well known celebrity magazine posted a photo of Kate and William with their new born baby son (now known as George), and next to the gorgeous photo were words saying how Kate would soon shift that baby weight and post baby bump through sticking to an exercise regime to target those areas and it would soon shrink becausd she is super fit. WHAT???? What kind of irresponsible message is this? Let alone that it is offensive and upsetting to a new Mum- any Mum whether she be a member of the royal family or not. I was - in fact I stil am - disgusted.
I LOVED the fact that Kate presented her new son - and future King of England - to the world with her post baby bump in full view. *This* showed a natural and beautiful new Mummy image and a postive one. At last a sensible post baby image - none of this tummy tuck rubbish that some celebs have put themselves through before appearing in public. A real woman. A real post baby body. A real role model for all young girls and new mums everywhere. Yeah so OK she had her hair all looking clean and styled and she wore heels and looked made up, BUT she looked natural and glowed as any new Mum does.
This is why I am so angry with OK Magazine - what gives them the right to highlight that Kate has a bump still and that she will need to get exercising in order to get rid of it. Why not celebrate that a new Mum has given birth to a healthy baby boy. For goodness sake her baby was 24 hours old - give her a break. Give all new Mums a break. It takes 9 months to grow a baby - you shoud expect it to take as long to get rid of it.
When I had Burton my post baby bump was with me for some weeks months. I breast fed which helped me to lose it but I also ate cakes and biscuits. Exercising and eating really healthly was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to enjoy this special time with my new born son and knew that I would get rid of it eventually ..... one day. Don't get me wrong I did not always like the way I looked weeks down the line trying to cover up my bump still, and still not being able to wear the clothes I had once worn pre baby. BUT at the end of the day, I had a baby and he was mine and healthy and beautiful and perfect - this was more important to me. I was tired, knackered and just lived to get through each day : one day at a time. Goodness some days I struggled to grab a shower and wash my hair, when would I have fitted in exercise? Not to mention the fact that I had stitches 'down below' and needed to be careful and rest for the first few days.
Yes, I had a post baby bump - but I am a real woman just like Kate is. I feel for any woman who feels she HAS to shift her bump and the extra weigth gain fast because they feel pressured to do so. Those first few weeks and months of having a new baby should be special and should be about enjoying getting to know your new baby and not about how you look and how many calories you are eating/ burning off!
Here is the proof of my bump after having Burton and then after having Jenson - I didn't always like the way it made me feel as the boys got older, but during their first few months of being alive it did not bother me. I had too much else to worry myself about!
Despite losing weight, getting pregant again, losing the weight and putting some on and off and on and off again I know that my stomach will never be as it was before I had my boys. Maybe if I stuck to a rigid exercise regime with time it could get almost back to where it was (not that it had been that good since my 20's anyway!). There are times when I hate the way I look as I struggle to find clothes that flatter my new post baby shape BUT, at the end of the day I am not that bad and if I stopped eating cakes it would help. However, if I spent all my time worrying about how I looked I would never have fun and enjoy being a Mummy to my boys, and being a good Mummy is more important to me.
I really hope Kate feels the same way- I hope any new Mum feels like this and does not let some stupid magazine belittle what is such a special time and make any woman feel they should be worried about their post baby body especially so soon after giving birth. It is simply irresponsible and damaging and I hope that magazine and its staff and editor in chief feel ashamed of themselves. Sadly though, they probably don't care what negative messages they are sending out to the women and girls in our society.
*the magazine has now issued an apology but I still don't think that makes what they did forgivable or excusable*
This post was brought to you as part of Flashback Friday
Remember a flashback can be from any time whether it be yesterday, last week, last month, last year or yesteryear! It can be a flashback of your own, your children, your partner or your friends. And if you don't want to write a post, then just link up a photo with a date. If you don't have time to write a new post.