Give yourself some TLC
07/02/2021
I gained a significant amount of weight during my pregnancy. While I was waiting to have a c-section, the nurse under whose care I was, said that after birth, I would lose at least 10 kg without any effort (newborn’s weight, the uterus shrinking, the accumulated fluid will be eliminated gradually from the body etc.). She was right.
After the surgery, I stayed at the hospital for five days. In the kitchen, we had access to sliced Wonder White white and wholemeal bread, butter, and Vegemite. I really enjoy a slice of white bread toast with butter and Vegemite. At home, we usually eat sourdough with grains, wholemeal and rye.
One of the advantages of getting pregnant at 41 is that I’m not as vain as I used to be in my youth. So, after having given birth and while recovering from a major surgery, I decided to feel grateful that my wonderful body had supported me through all of that and to enjoy myself. Every day, I would shuffle from my bed to the kitchen and enjoy the smell of the Wonder White toast while preparing my snack.
Believe it or not, one of the midwives in the maternity ward would look at me with so much judgement on her face while I would shuffle past her with not one but two pieces of white toast with butter and Vegemite on, eager to bite into them and enjoy them with a cup of tea. Perhaps, my younger self would have felt judged, but my middle-aged self just smirked and couldn’t care less.
Yes, health is important, and we women do wish to return to the previous version of ourselves as much as possible. You may have noticed that I haven’t written “back to normal” because there is nothing abnormal about the changes that occur during pregnancy. It takes nine months for the pregnancy to develop, so the body will not go back to the previous version of itself overnight. Be grateful to your body that carried you to the end and continues to support you daily. Cherish and look after it. The body is not our enemy, but we often perceive it as such, trying to beat and starve it into submission through vigorous exercise and dieting shortly after having given birth. Go for a walk with your little one and take deep breaths. Enjoy life. Love your body, and it will love you back.
