While leafing through this month's issue, I came across this:
6 weeks after I had Faith, I had my check up with my doctor. I remember asking him about loose skin and how long it would be until it tightened up. He laughed and said it would take a few months, or I just could gain some weight and fill it out and that would fix my problem. (Side note: my doctor thought he was a comedian). I was actually more concerned about my dark linea negra and when that would disappear (it's only recently disappeared!).
I've run countless miles since having Faith and completed a 10 mile race, a 5K, and a marathon. I do yoga on a regular basis and do abs occasionally when Faith is playing. So how is my stomach?
I think it's fine! It's not exactly how it was before, but you know what? That's ok because my body made another person and that's pretty amazing. I can't expect to house an 8lb + baby and not have some lasting effects. Also, it's one of those things that only I would notice. I guarantee you that no one else would think I had any loose skin on my stomach if they saw me in a bathing suit.
I can't believe a "woman's health magazine" is suggesting that subjecting your body (and your wallet) to plastic surgery is a good answer for some post-baby body changes. Your body may not be exactly the same, but even if you never have kids, eventually your skin will lose elasticity from age and you'll still end up a little saggy. I feel like stuff in magazines like this just perpetuates the idea that having kids ruins your body. How about just embracing what your body can do (like the miracle of life?) instead of spending the kid's college fund on plastic surgery?
*Getting off my soapbox now*
What do you think?
I recently got a free subscription to Shape, and I find myself getting so irritated with it and the advice they give! I noticed that one too and was like, really?
ReplyDeleteIsn't plastic surgery...dangerous? I feel like elective surgery, unless it's a really extreme circumstance, is something to pass on!
One of my friends can't believe I want kids, and is always telling me "it'll ruin your body" "you'll get FAT", etc. I told her I'll have the gift of life in my belly, and all she'll have in hers is mcdonalds. =p
As you said, eventually we get old and our skin gets saggy, and I'd like to have more to show for my sag than just few bikini pictures. (And babies are so CUTE!)
(sorry a bit rambly - no coffee yet, haha)
Follow up to the last comment...this same friend also told me that I wouldn't be able to run 5ks if I had kids. Because, you know, my husband can't be alone with his children for a couple hours. Haha.
ReplyDeleteI don't read magazines either. I stopped after I got out of the Cosmo phase in University. After I learned "How to Make a Man Crazy in Bed" I learned all I needed to know :-D
ReplyDeleteOk, for serious though, you are absolutely right. In my experience, I already had loose skin going INTO the pregnancy from having lost a lot of weight so I wasn't even worried about the affects of the pregnancy. I am still on my mission to lose the weight I regained during pregnancy and we'll see where I stand at the end to see if it's the same or different. But to me, it's almost like a "battle scar" that represents some very special achievements in my life. I will never have a body that I'll wear in a bikini but the reality of loose skin from 100+ lbs lost is quite a bit different than pregnancy in most cases. Would I ever consider surgery? I don't know about the kind that they suggested, but considering how incredibly painful the recovery is for a tummy tuck, probably not because then there's my thighs & bat wings that also carry loose skin. When does it stop?
Back to your point about the answer the article gave, you're right to be critical because those magazines are just so used to taking it for granted that fixing your "flaws" is all that matters that they don't really bother to explore the possibility that maybe they are not flaws at all! I suppose if they want to be literal in their answer that surgery is most likely the only fix being realistic, but it wouldn't hurt to add in "but you're a beautiful woman who created a beautiful human and you should be proud of your body for what you were able to do" point because of all the women who are going to read that, how many do you think are actually going to get the surgery and instead just wish they could? All it does is make people feel bad!
I completely agree with you!! You grew a human! The belly is just a reminder of that awesome life you grew. I don't believe in plastic surgery as an answer, especially a HEALTHY answer. I used to have a subscription to Shape, but got rid of it after the one-year period ran out, because of things just like that. I think taking the lazy (albeit expensive) way out is preached too often in our society.
ReplyDeleteI just realized this article really made me mad, and I've never even had a baby. Shape Magazine, if you're listening, bite me.
You are on point with what you said about the same content, just different pictures. I gave up on magazines a long time ago but still have a subscription to Self (buy one get one free from a friend) and I seriously never read it. I hate the images that these supposed "healthy" women's magazines portray women and all that goes into being a woman (pregnancy, etc...) . They thrive on the premise that women believe that something is wrong with how it is right now (wrong to have loose skin after a baby, wrong to have a period, wrong to get PMS, wrong to age, you get my drift). If women all over the world dropped the "something is wrong with me that needs to be fixed" belief we'd all be much happier!
ReplyDeleteThe ad on the bottom of this page is for la weight loss. Even Google has less expensive options than Shape.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the first commenter, any time you go under anesthesia there are risks. Personally, I try to minimize my amount of time under the knife to minimize those risks however minimal they are.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you get a tummy tuck after baby 1, what happens if you have baby 2?
I stopped reading those kinds of magazines a long time ago for similar reasons. Their "workouts' don't even look like workouts - especially with the results they are promising.
ReplyDeleteI stick to running and cooking magazines.
I had the same reaction as you when I read that - I don't think I've seen a magazine like Shape recommend plastic surgery off-hand like that before, unless the question was specifically about plastic surgery. Sure, it's not exactly ideal to have a little extra skin hanging around after pregnancy, but the rest of your life won't be the same after you have a kid - why would you expect your body to go back exactly to the way it was before? I don't have kids yet, but I think I'd rather focus on getting back in shape and spending time with my kids post-pregnancy, rather than agonizing over a few extra pounds.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is unreal that was their answer - is the plastic surgeon paying them or something? It's sad that magazines that are supposed to focus on health promote that sort of unhealthy (in my humble opinion) behavior. You should have written the response, because you said it perfectly! I love how all the health magazines have a zillion and one ways to lose weight. I want to write an article titled "A REVOLUTIONARY WAY TO GET THE WEIGHT OFF!" and then the article will say "put down the fork. put on sneakers. move". Ok sorry that was mean. I totally have a soapbox post in my head that I can't wait to post when I have four seconds of free time to write it.
ReplyDeleteOh and you know I can never remember everything for one comment, but these are the kinds of things people like me who are REALLY trying to get on board with the baby idea DO NOT need to read!
ReplyDeleteI agree! My body will never be the same but who cares?? Fitness magazines suck.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with you. How is that the answer from a "fitness" magazine. I can't stand reading those kinds of magazines and pretty much gave them up for reasons including "advice" like this.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that one body can give birth to another, so it should be celebrated not made to seem as if it were a bad thing!
That's completely absurd! I don't have kids so I can't really comment on my experience, but seriously? A health magazine???
ReplyDeleteI love your outlook on this! As a female thats one of my fears on getting pregnant but hearing someone talk about the after effects with a positive spin makes me feel all right about it!
ReplyDeleteI've stopped taking all of the women's heath magazines that I used to take because they all seemed to be filled with the same fluff and didn't portray real women. I love your angle on the "stomach pooch"--it's something to be proud of! Why is a fitness magazine promoting plastic surgery anyway?!
ReplyDeleteAMEN! I think Alyssa said it best: "put down the fork. put on sneakers. move." I 100% agree!
ReplyDeleteActually..."Put down the fried, processed food. Put on sneakers. Move." We don't want to advocate eating disorders :)
ReplyDeleteFirst, yes. I think all health/fitness magazines AND trashy women magazines ie- Cosmo just recycle the same articles over and over again. I don't think you'll ever find new content.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree that the surgery pitch is annoying, and totally not "appropriate" content for a magazine that considers itself to be a health magazine. It's sad that the reality is that many people would rather pay the big bucks and go under the knife than get their lazy butt up and exercise.
Good thing you're not one of those people!
First, I think that's awful. I actually don't get any women's magazines any more because they have so little content in them and write stupid things like that.
ReplyDeleteI feel incredibly lucky that after having Logan, I'm doing as well as I am. I am definitely flabby and wondering how long until I can get moving and if breastfeeding really is the miracle diet people say it is. But Logan is worth everything. He's a miracle that I grew and created and I don't care if my stomach is flabby for the rest of my life. (Although I hope it isn't!) It seems like everyone looks for the quick fix, rather than just getting out and enjoying life.