{"id":1639,"date":"2013-07-17T19:55:20","date_gmt":"2013-07-17T18:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1639"},"modified":"2013-07-18T22:26:51","modified_gmt":"2013-07-18T21:26:51","slug":"being-brave-my-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2013\/07\/17\/being-brave-my-body\/","title":{"rendered":"Being Brave – My body"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Being<\/a><\/p>\n

This is me – part naked, exposed and posting this before I chicken out – this is in response the\u00a0BBC article<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Are women’s bodies still beautiful after pregnancy?\u00a0I read and subsequently shared it on Facebook \u00a0and it led to a really refreshing conversation with a group of my friends – all \u00a0mothers – about their feelings about their bodies.<\/p>\n

Stretch marks, cesarean scars, weight gain, between us we had all felt that something was at fault with our bodies. It made me feel – for want of a better expression. Less alone.<\/p>\n

I was stupid while pregnant I ate and ate and ate, young and niave so thought “it’s baby weight – it’ll come off”. I was a size 10 -12 when I fell pregnant yet came out of the hospital a size 16 with added stretch marks and flabby bits. The only time I’ve fit into a 12 since was when I was on antidepressants – I got better then my back and hip problems started and the weight piled back on. <\/p>\n

Oftentimes I hate my body – I have no real hang ups on how other people view me, \u00a0But I really do have issues with how I FEEL\u00a0and I how I view myself and that feeling is compounded by the heatwave we’re currently experiencing. \u00a0Spring, Autumn, Winter – hell even in the last few summers I’ve been able to hide behind jeans, jumpers and shirts, I can dress and pretend, but in this heat there is nowhere to so.<\/p>\n

It’s uncomfortable to be fat.\u00a0Clothes don’t fit – summer clothes are designed for waifs and in shorts and vests everything is on show. The fat on my thighs – because WHY DO THEY MAKE WOMENS SHORTS SO SHORT, the stretch marks on my arms, the creases on my back, it’s all there for the world to see \u00a0– and I feel uncomfortable, so very uncomfortable and exposed.<\/p>\n

Some one sent a card into postsecret<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\"Being<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And they hit the nail on the head. While in reality I don’t care what YOU think of me, it only takes one story in media, one television programme about thin being beautiful, one stupid stupid facebook post or hurtful remark in the street to reinforce my feelings about myself. And I shouldn’t feel this bad about being me.<\/p>\n

I’m 32, a Mom of one, recently married with a great job. I’ve overcome homelessness, selfishness of others and health issues to be where I am today and here isn’t such a bad place…<\/p>\n

…So I’ve been brave and taken this photo. This is me laid bare, I can look at this and see the back fat and the split ends or I can look at this and see history. Every ounce of that weight has been on a journey with me and I need to be\u00a0grateful for who I am and what I have, and so should all of the other ladies who were talking to me today. I have the greatest of respect for you my friends. You exude confidence and are so much fun to be around from the exterior no one would know of the body issues beneath.<\/p>\n

It has taken so much courage for me to take and post this photo ( no really there was nearly tears and I’m home alone)\u00a0but you’re<\/del> WE’RE \u00a0all beautiful and think we just need to believe that of ourselves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is me – part naked, exposed and posting this before I chicken out – this is in response the\u00a0BBC article\u00a0–\u00a0Are women’s bodies still beautiful after pregnancy?\u00a0I read and subsequently shared it on Facebook \u00a0and it led to a really refreshing conversation with a group of my friends – all \u00a0mothers – about their feelings … Continue reading Being Brave – My body<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[109,63,64,95],"tags":[484,485,488,232,486,334,487],"class_list":["post-1639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-facts-about-me","category-family","category-friends","category-health","tag-body","tag-body-image","tag-fat","tag-life","tag-me","tag-story","tag-weight"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6WGy-qr","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1693,"url":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2013\/10\/23\/real-breasts-are-the-best\/","url_meta":{"origin":1639,"position":0},"title":"Real Breasts are the best","date":"October 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I was having a conversation with a friend earlier today about parenting, how to deal with the big things while still maintaining open communications and it reminded me of the time we caught the boy looking at porn. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a normal teenage boy looking at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1034,"url":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2011\/05\/24\/rsa-building-sumner-new-zealand\/","url_meta":{"origin":1639,"position":1},"title":"RSA Building, Sumner, New Zealand","date":"May 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"RSA Building, Sumner, New Zealand, a photo by Steph Jennings on Flickr. The Sumner RSA (Returned Services Association) building was devastated in a rock fall during the Feb 22 2011 Earthquake. See footage here; youtu.be\/MOE6NSc4rOo While I would love to just post beautiful landscapes, nature and wildlife - Images of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Photography"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":161,"url":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2007\/05\/28\/jordanjordanshannon-and-craig\/","url_meta":{"origin":1639,"position":2},"title":"Jordan,Jordan,Shannon and Craig…","date":"May 28, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"It seems that I acquired 3 extra bodies in my household, Another 7 year old, a 9 year old and a 5(ish) year old. None of which I am related to but were all quite at home with me and my own 7year old baking cakes and cookies ALL DAY!I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "WBIAGW"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":104,"url":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2006\/01\/16\/hmm-well\/","url_meta":{"origin":1639,"position":3},"title":"Hmm well….","date":"January 16, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"...I'm tired I have a headache My stomache hurts I think I've caught bird flu or summat I'm feeling all maudlin.....I'm just finding reasons to complain as I'm sure thats what your used to!! In actual fact I'm feeling GREAT!!Spent a great weekend doing not a lot...Friday I locked my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "WBIAGW"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":204,"url":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2008\/04\/01\/not-on-a-school-night\/","url_meta":{"origin":1639,"position":4},"title":"Not on a “school” night!","date":"April 1, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I am the April fool. I wasn't tricked into believing the ipod mind control accessory actually existed or that Google and Virgin were to join forces and launch \"Virgle\" and start a \"permanent human colony\" on Mars. I didn't believe it when I heard that that to try and increase\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Friends"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1755,"url":"https:\/\/www.weirdbutinagoodway.co.uk\/blog\/2015\/02\/14\/yes-i-know-its-corporate-bullshit-but\/","url_meta":{"origin":1639,"position":5},"title":"Yes I know it’s corporate bullshit – but","date":"February 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Line the pockets of the card shop day... Sell chocolate at extortionate prices day..... Put too much meaning in a bunch of flowers day.... Valentines Day.\u00a0I know it's all corporate bullshit designed to make money, but still, I like it.\u00a0Or I would if we celebrated, my husband doesn't. 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