What are the parts of motherhood that make you feel insecure about your body?
I feel like there are a zillion, if we let it happen: bathing suits, special occasions, pretty much anything. But the one that got me today was the baby carrier. I don’t think I have ever worn anything that made me more aware of my post baby squishiness. It doesn’t make much of a difference in some outfits, but the one I wore today made me feel like I had rolls hanging out everywhere.
At first, I was horrified, and then I thought, why is this even a consideration? I had to take baby V with me to drop the twins off at preschool. I needed both of my hands to wrangle those two, and using the double stroller for just one kid can be a hassle. The baby carrier was really my only option.
So you wanna know what I did? (After I laughed at myself for being so ridiculous.) I strapped my baby to my chest and picked up my kids from preschool without a second thought. No one treated me differently. No one looked at me differently. But more importantly, I made a conscious effort not to care. It didn’t ruin my day to wear something unflattering. It actually helped me tremendously.
I was just another mom hustling all of her kids around trying to keep everyone alive, loved, and educated. What more could anyone ask of me? But more importantly, what more could I ask of myself?
Jacqueline Pinchuk 