The Recovery Report: Learning to Respect My Postpartum Body

I did something really brave yesterday.

For the first time since having my two girls, I bought a two-piece bathing suit.

We have a beach trip coming up in a few weeks, and I thought it was finally time to let my stomach see the sun for the first time since… basically 2021.

In all seriousness, I think it’s really important to set an example for our young kids, especially our daughters, that bodies come in all different shapes and sizes.

I really wanted to refrain from talking about my physical appearance postpartum because I feel like social media has fostered a toxic environment around fitness and “bouncing back” to your pre-baby weight as if it’s no big deal. I believe it sets unrealistic expectations and doesn’t reflect the experience that most women have after giving birth.

But here’s what I will say:

• Have I lost all of my baby weight, even though I’m almost two years postpartum? No.
• Am I trying to be more mindful of what I’m eating and track my calories? Yes (well… most of the time).
• Does that mean I skip opportunities to take my girls out for ice cream and enjoy it with them? Absolutely not!
• Am I trying to fit semi-consistent exercise into my chaotic schedule as a full-time working mom? Yes, but that’s still a work in progress that I haven’t quite figured out yet.

So, I decided to trick my brain.

I looked at a picture of myself in a two-piece bathing suit from the summer of 2012 and asked myself one simple question:

What has changed since this picture was taken?

I went to college, met some of my best friends, met my future husband, babysat for kids who became family, traveled to Europe, graduated with my undergraduate degree, earned my master’s degree, passed the NBCOT certification exam, stood beside my best friend as she got married, moved 900 miles away from everything I’d ever known, started working full-time as an occupational therapist, got engaged, got married, celebrated so many of my friends’ engagements and weddings, lost a close friend to leukemia, found out I was pregnant, survived COVID while pregnant, gave birth, exclusively breastfed for six months, changed careers, went to the Eras Tour twice, found out I was pregnant again basically five minutes later, gave birth to my second daughter, and eventually returned to the healthcare world.

If all of those things changed, why would I expect my body not to change?

As a woman, I’ve found it really, really hard to love my body.

When I look at that picture from the summer of 2012, I remember feeling self-conscious wearing that bathing suit, even though I was the thinnest I’d ever been. As I’ve gotten older, though, I’ve realized that even if I don’t love everything about my body, I do have to respect it.

I respect my body for surviving postpartum preeclampsia twice. I respect my body for recovering from having a major organ removed in 2025 because of postpartum complications. I respect my body for giving me the strength to run after and pick up my daughters. I respect my body for carrying me through every hallway of the hospital as I speak to my patients each day.

I’ve made a conscious effort to speak positively about my body, even on the days when I don’t fully believe the words I’m saying, because I want to set a good example for my girls. This is something I also heard Kylie Kelce talk about on a recent episode of Not Gonna Lie. I think it’s incredibly important to start modeling positive body image for our children as early as possible so they can develop a healthy relationship with their own bodies as they grow.

So, if you’re not feeling like you love your body right now, I’m here to validate those feelings. I think that’s an incredibly normal experience during the postpartum season of life.

But I am also going to remind you of this:

You don’t have to love your body every single day.

You do have to respect it for the long, difficult journey it has endured to bring you to where you are today.

And sometimes, respect is a much more attainable place to begin than love.

If you’re really struggling with your body image postpartum, I’d encourage you to talk with a healthcare professional about what options and resources may be available to you. Personally, I asked for a referral to a nutritionist so I could better understand my caloric needs and the foods that would best fuel my body.

What’s one thing your body has carried you through that you’ll always be grateful for? I’d love to hear your responses below in the comments!