Hi all,
The majority of the time, when we have a question these days or if we’re looking for information about something, we will simply take to the internet to find the answers that we need. Whilst this can be incredibly helpful the majority of the time, unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about these days, specifically relating to medical information and in particular, post-pregnancy bodies.
It goes without saying that many medical professionals will advise you not to Google your symptoms if you’re poorly and this is due to the fact that often, whilst the information available will be correct to some extent, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it applies to your situation. This is the same for women’s bodies both during and after pregnancy, everyone is different, so it is unlikely that you’ll be able to find information that is correct for your individual situation.
Of course, we aren’t saying that you should never Google something again, after all, it is likely that you will have found this blog by doing so and believe us when we say you can trust everything mentioned below. But, you just need to take the information you see online with a pinch of salt, especially if it isn’t from a reliable source.
So, now you’re here and reading this, we thought we would take the time to debunk some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about post pregnancy bodies. Below are some questions that are frequently Googled or asked by our members and statements that you will likely come across which aren’t actually necessarily true. So, keep reading today to find out the truth about your body post-pregnancy.
“If I was in good shape before falling pregnant, will my body bounce back after having a baby?”
Lots of women will be told by family and friends that their body will simply bounce back after having a baby, especially if they were in good shape pre-pregnancy. Unfortunately, when Googling this too you will probably find that some people say that this is the case as well, but it is impossible to generalise people like this, so don’t believe everything you hear/read.
There are lots of different factors that will affect how your body looks post-pregnancy and ultimately, no one’s body will ‘bounce back’, your body has been through so much and it will take time to feel strong and healthy again. If you see images of women, usually celebrities, who have ‘bounced back’ don’t always believe what you’re seeing, there will be lots of hard work and also a fair amount of time passed to get to the after picture.
“Will I be stuck with my mummy tummy forever?”
It isn’t uncommon for new mums to be hung up on the way their stomach looks and feels post-pregnancy, some even worry that they still look pregnant after giving birth, and again when taking to the internet to look for answers about your mum tum, you will likely find a lot of false information. We can tell you for certain, you won’t be stuck with your mummy tummy forever and anyone who says otherwise probably isn’t qualified to say so.
We have written in more detail about ‘mummy tummy’ (even though we strongly dislike this phrase) before, so you can find out more about this on our blog. Just know that with the right post-natal exercise advice, a healthy balanced diet and some determination, you can feel strong and confident in your body again.
“Is it normal to live with incontinence post-pregnancy?”
When looking into incontinence or ‘leaking’ post-pregnancy, you will probably find that many other women experience these issues and for this reason, it is just considered normal. Whilst it isn’t uncommon to experience issues in this regard weeks after giving birth, this isn’t something that should be happening years after, and it isn’t ‘normal’ to live with this long term.
If you’re experiencing bladder leakage, usually you can work to improve this with some simple pelvic floor exercises. Working on strengthening your pelvic floor can allow you to regain control over your bladder and prevent issues regarding incontinence. So, if you’re ever told that you simply need to put up with this problem, that isn’t true. It isn’t normal to live with incontinence post-pregnancy and some accurate post-natal exercise advice is all you need.
“Should general aches and pains go away once giving birth?”
The vast majority of women will experience aches and pains during pregnancy and many hope that these will go away once they have given birth. Even if Google may tell you that this will happen, unfortunately, these pains aren’t something that will just disappear once you’re no longer carrying your baby.
From back and neck pain to hip and knee pain, these are all things that won’t go away by themselves but, they are things that you can fix with correct post-natal exercise advice. Over time, you can begin to correct your posture which you may find helps with a lot of these pains, and you can also target specific areas of your body with post-natal exercises to help reduce the amount of pain you’re experiencing.
“What’s the best quick fix to getting my pre-pregnancy body back?”
If you Google this, we dread to think what will come up and we can almost guarantee that the vast majority of answers you find aren’t going to help you feel stronger or healthier in the long run. Lots of ‘quick fixes’ are also unsafe post-pregnancy and you really shouldn’t believe everything being sold to you online about getting your pre-pregnancy body back quickly.
‘Getting my pre-pregnancy body back’ is another phrase we aren’t particularly fond of, simply because your post-natal body is always different from your pre-natal body. Whilst you may experience weight loss when undertaking post-natal exercises, no matter how many weeks or months postpartum you may be, your body will be different from how it was before and this is completely normal. So, instead of aiming to get your pre-pregnancy body back, aim to get your health back and to be fitter and stronger than ever before.
“How long does it take to lose baby weight?”
When taking to the internet for the answer to this question, we can guarantee that at least one website will present you with the myth of ‘9 months’. Whilst this may seem like a logical answer, it’ll take as long to lose it as it did to put it on, it really isn’t this simple. Everyone’s body is different and for this reason, you just can’t put a time frame on something like this.
Even though many women find themselves constantly chasing numbers on the scale, this really shouldn’t be the case either, really this number is irrelevant. Whilst doing post-natal exercise will help you to lose weight it shouldn’t be the aim of why you’re doing this. Try to think beyond the scales and more so about feeling happy and healthy again. So, ignore anyone who gives you a specific amount of time to ‘lose the baby weight’.
How Healthy Post-Natal Body can help
Unfortunately, it seems as though the majority of misconceptions and myths surrounding post-pregnancies bodies tend to make women feel much worse about themselves. However, now you know the truth, you can ignore the incorrect information online and trust that whatever your body may be like at the moment, you have just had a beautiful little baby and you can guarantee that how you look and feel is completely normal.
If you have questions about your post-pregnancy body and you’re looking for a safe place to ask them where you know the answers you receive will be correct, rather than trusting inexperienced websites on Google, a Healthy Post-Natal Body membership is just what you need. With this membership, you will have access to forums where fully qualified personal trainers and post-natal experts can answer your questions and where other members can share their similar experiences.
You will be able to openly talk about your post-pregnancy body and any issues you may be experiencing from diastasis recti and back pain to poor posture and pelvic floor problems, knowing that any information you will be provided with in this regard won’t be a myth or misconception. You can finally relax knowing that you won’t feel worse about yourself after asking a simple question on the internet too.
As well as receiving post-natal exercise advice, included in your Healthy Post-Natal Body membership are monthly home exercise routines created by experienced personal trainers to specifically target specific issues you may be experiencing post-pregnancy too. We are incredibly proud that our all-inclusive membership has helped to change women’s lives post-pregnancy and we will gladly assist you with your journey to getting your health back today.
Remember you get 3 months completely free if you use signup code “3months” when signing up here.
Take care,
The HPNB Team
And finally, here’s a little affiliate link that allows us to offer a great and affordable post-natal program to all women who need it
