11 Months Postpartum, Here Is My Truth

When people ask how I’m doing, I’ve started being more honest. I often say, “I’m still figuring that out.”

Because I am. 

My baby is almost 11 months old and I feel NOW how I thought I’d feel at 3 months postpartum. I’m starting to exercise more than Pilates 1x/week, I’m starting to laugh more with my husband, I’m starting to feel sort-of ok about my body, I’m feeling more confident being away from my baby, and I feel my core (slowly) getting stronger. 

I recently ran into two friends at a co-working facility and as I told them my version of this, I cried a little. I know that’s normal and doesn’t mean I’m overly emotional; it means I’m feeling everything that comes along with being a new mother. Even knowing this, I felt like running away from the uncomfortable feelings and burying myself in work. But running away from all that I’m feeling isn’t going to be how I heal my body or feel confident in who I am now in my new life.

I think this is what will help:

• Connecting with other women who have been there. 

• Being honest. 

• Going slow with body healing. 

• Being kind to me. (As kind as possible.)

Maybe motherhood isn’t about finding all the answers or getting your emotions on track. I’ve been told this is called “being in the mystery” and that being in the mystery awakens the Divine Feminine. That sounded woo-woo when I first heard it, but motherhood changes everything. It forces you to live in the inexplicable and fully embrace it. And what I’m starting to believe is that there’s a lot of power in that IF you surround yourself with a support base you trust and love.