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Parentpedia
Body Image
What Experts Say
Some pregnant women struggle with their changing body, worrying that they are gaining too much weight or that they won't be attractive to their husbands. A changing body is especially challenging in a culture that idealizes slimness. But as your pregnant belly grows, you will probably realize that your body (that same temple that you starved and exercised in order to make thin) has a higher calling.
"The bottom line is that you start to view your body as a tool in service of something bigger than yourself," says Martha Brockenbrough, author of "It Could Happen to You: Diary of a Pregnancy and Beyond." "And that's a pretty nice metaphor for what motherhood really is: a time of giving hugely to the world. You give your body, your time, your hopes, your talents, all with the hope that the world will continue to be a place where living beings can thrive."
If you have mixed feelings about your body's changes, Brockenbrough suggests pampering yourself while being as healthy as possible:
Craving red meat? Skip McDonald's. Do give your body what it's hungry for in its most nutritious and beautiful form. Go buy yourself a little steak and broil it, alongside a lovely salad. Your body is working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to create a tiny human, and feeding it well is a big part of honoring that work.
Exercise is vital. If your body feels tired and miserable, exercise (swimming, walking, yoga) will actually give you more energy.
Take a picture: You may have mixed feelings now but someday you'll look back with longing, and maybe a little envy, at your pregnant self. Take pictures, make a body cast or have a pregnancy party and draw on your friends' bellies.
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