Following on from last week’s blog about strong not skinny I thought I would talk this week about the “Mum Tum”….
Some mums get stretch marks – some don’t
Some mums have big bumps when they are pregnant – some don’t
Some mums have Caesarian section operations to deliver their babies – some don’t
Some mums are happy to show the flesh on their tummies – some aren’t
I have experienced a combination of all the above.
Carrying three children in the space of 16 months is a big ask of any body. My body held up incredibly well to the test. Max was delivered naturally and the twin girls were delivered by planned C-section at 38 weeks as they were both breech.
I actually think my pregnancy bump was bigger when carrying Max than it was when I was carrying the twins.
I am left with permanent reminders of having grown three children inside my body when I look at my “mum tum” – I have stretch marks and a saggy loose bit of skin around my belly button which no matter how much “core” work I do I think will ever become toned….
My children ask questions about the stretch marks when they see them. I feel conscious of them when wearing a bikini in public. I very rarely expose my tummy and as such struggled to find a photo of me with my tummy showing!! I did find this one from Yateley 10km 2 years ago in the midst of a heatwave when I just couldn’t face running with a vest over my tummy!
Looking at this photo actually brings back lots of memories as a week after this race I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my hip (I just thought I had a tight hip flexor!) – I was the lightest I have been for some time in this photo, wasn’t fuelling to my optimum (not intentionally – mainly because I am “busy Mum” and was making enough time to think about my nutrition needs) and my periods were rather erratic – all tale tale signs of “danger”….
I’m very conscious that not everyone that wants to become a Mum is able to for a whole host of reasons. I consider myself very lucky and fortunate to have been able to become a Mum and therefore the “mum tum” is something I will value and feel blessed to have; even though I find it quite unsightly. But that’s just aesthetics…..what does that really matter??