Bad body image pregnant

[hfm123]

Hi All

Just a quick one.

I am 21 weeks pregnant with a little boy who is healthy and kicking away.

I hate to moan when he's doing so well but before pregnancy I was the lowest I have been weight wise, my acne had gone and I had great colour and genuinely felt like me.

Halfway through pregnancy and I catch myself in the mirror and I don't recognise myself, my acne is worse than ever, I am grey in complexion and my legs have gained all the weight.

I am so self conscious and food is all I think about.

Does anybody feel the same or have tips on how to beat this constant inner monologue in my head?

You are not alone, I’m 38 weeks pregnant and have felt I’ve lost myself through this pregnancy.
I’m so happy to be pregnant, I love the baby and I’m proud of what my body is doing but I feel uncomfortable in my own skin. I’m fed up of people telling me I’m glowing- I’m not and I know it’s something people say to be kind when j say I look awful. I’m also fed up of people telling me I’ll bounce back!
I’ve spoken to a lot of pregnant women who have also felt the same. I think there’s such pressure on us tk be happy but realistically we’re going through a massive amount of changes and sadly our bodies won’t be exactly as they were before.
There’s lots of great articles online for supporting women through this and acknowledging that women feel bloated, sore and just fed up and all of that is okay.
I’ve taken my time to accept that my body won’t be fully the same but I’m in control of it.
I’m in control of when I want to get back into exercising and trying to feel more like me again.

@Hiddenvoice

You are not alone, I’m 38 weeks pregnant and have felt I’ve lost myself through this pregnancy. I’m so happy to be pregnant, I love the baby and I’m proud of what my body is doing but I feel uncomfortable in my own skin. I’m fed up of people telling me I’m glowing- I’m not and I know it’s something people say to be kind when j say I look awful. I’m also fed up of people telling me I’ll bounce back! I’ve spoken to a lot of pregnant women who have also felt the same. I think there’s such pressure on us tk be happy but realistically we’re going through a massive amount of changes and sadly our bodies won’t be exactly as they were before. There’s lots of great articles online for supporting women through this and acknowledging that women feel bloated, sore and just fed up and all of that is okay. I’ve taken my time to accept that my body won’t be fully the same but I’m in control of it. I’m in control of when I want to get back into exercising and trying to feel more like me again.

I think that's the hardest part, people saying you'll bounce back.... then that gives an expectation to lose weight.

Sometimes you just feel on your own, it's so superficial but I want to feel the best I can to be the best mum I can.

I'm glad you've felt the same, not long for you now, how exciting!

You’re so right! I have a friends wedding in the summer and everyone keeps telling me that I’ll be back in my normal clothes by then. I don’t want to feel like there’s a pressure on me to be like that but also think it will be a toll on my emotions if I’m not like that as I do know people will comment.

I think we need to remind ourselves that no matter how we look we will be doing our very best for our babies.

What’s kinda helped me is once a week having a bath and having a proper pamper session. I know it sounds stupid but for an hour I kinda feel like I’m getting a chance to spoil myself

I gave birth a year ago exactly.
The pregnancy glow did not last and by the 3rd trimester I was fat bloated spotty and pale.
I BF and did not diet after the birth, I didn't lose the "baby fat". People judge and always will. But I honestly don't care what they think. Ofc I am self conscious and no I don't like the way I look and wish I was slim and looked after like before. But I will do it in my own time I will put in the work and time and effort to take care of my appearance again. But so far my priority had been my baby and her wellbeing.
And I am pregnant again. And already Shrek again at 12w. But guess this time I won't lose sleep over it. 😴 too busy and tired for that.
There is immense pressure to look a certain way pregnant and bounce back after. But we are all different. Please don't stress lady. Do what is best for YOU and your baby. It's already so much work to adjust to a new life.

I am 23 weeks and feeling the same. I don’t recognise my body, even my face looks so different (round!! So round!) and everyone keeps telling me I look the same, when I know I don’t. I feel self conscious around other people and I hate how I look. We are on holiday this week and I know I will regret not having photos to commemorate the holiday/my pregnancy but in every single one I feel I look dreadful. Sorry, this isn’t going to uplift you is it!! Just to say that you are not alone and I understand xx

Definitely not alone - I'd lost ~12 stone pre pregnancy and had about 1.5 left to go when we were lucky enough to fall pregnant, I'm 17.5 weeks with our first baby and she's doing really well 🥰 I had been able to maintain my weight until these past couple of weeks where the scales have started to move upwards. I don't feel like I've got a bump I just feel really big and completely get the other comments about faces - I feel like I've got a moon head!

Not alone! I'm just shy of 32 weeks and feel like an alien in my own body. I was also the best I've ever felt before falling pregnant - for the first time in my life I'd been going to the gym regularly, felt fit, healthy and happy in my body, skin & hair great, and took real joy in clothes and putting together outfits. All sounds really superficial but it's how I felt.

I now don't fit into anything (obviously) but also don't want to buy maternity clothes which seem to either cost a fortune or are horrible just for a few more weeks. I'm living in leggings and 3 dresses and can't wait to not be pregnant but that also brings its own worries about losing the weight! I'd spent my whole life being slightly to definitely overweight until the last couple of years and had to really work hard to feel the way I did pre-pregnancy and just can't see how I'm going to have the time/energy afterwards!

It is 100% normal to experience body image issues during pregnancy, and being hungry is a good thing! Weight gain is a normal marker of a healthy pregnancy. As long as your staying active and eating healthy, you should return to your normal weight in 6-12 months after pregnancy.