Every day, I come across at least one news article about a new mother who has sprung back into shape just hours/days/weeks after giving birth. In the past, I used to scroll past these stories, not really bothering to look because they didn't really interest me.
Then, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gave birth to her baby daughter in November 2011 and faced immense backlash in national and international media for not regaining her pre-baby body back within weeks of giving birth, raising the question of the pressure women are under to be slim, trim and perfect after going through such a life changing event. Comments even went as far as to say she had "let her country down" and that it was her 'duty' to her fans to regain her pre-pregnancy figure. The story caught my attention when she eventually had to come out and 'defend' her choice, saying she was simply enjoying motherhood. As far as I'm concerned, she should never have had to give that kind of justification. No woman should ever have to justify such a choice to anyone, regardless of whether she is in the public eye or not.
Most pregnancies last for around nine months. In those nine months, a woman's body changes, grows and develops to accommodate the baby and prepares for not only a birth, but for everything that comes after the birth, including nursing. To slam women for not losing weight weeks after giving birth is spectacularly unfair, since our bodies need time to adjust to such a huge change - a further nine months at least, if not more. If she had spent hours on end at the gym working out and going on a diet of some sort, she would have been lambasted for being vain enough not to spend enough time with her baby, of neglecting her child and not being a 'proper' mother (like Kim Kardashian is, for example).
You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Just today I saw yet another article in a leading national newspaper about a mother who regained her pre-baby body four months after giving birth. All well and good if she was doing it for herself, to feel good about herself and remain fit and healthy, but why then talk about it to the papers? Why not keep it private or just share the experience with close friends and family members? All talking to the papers did was invite comment from those who thought she was the best thing since sliced bread, or those who she thought was a terrible mother for putting her body (and baby) though potentially dangerous exercises.
I'm all for women staying true to who they are (I can't see myself ever not dancing unless it was going to pose a threat to my baby or me) but perhaps a little bit of sensitivity towards those who are unable to shed the pounds immediately wouldn't go amiss. What we (and the media) need to understand is that every woman is different and whilst it may be easier for some to shed the baby weight, it isn't for everyone. Yes, some women do spring back into shape but that's mainly down to it being a matter of choice and more often than not, different body shapes and metabolism rates. Indian women, for example, naturally have wider hips and curves, as compared to Victoria Beckham and Angelina Jolie (to whom Aishwarya was being compared) so it is almost always near to impossible to look desperately skinny weeks after giving birth.
So ladies, worry not about your post-baby weight, only about your baby. The weight will, eventually (and when you're ready - my mother is only properly losing hers now, 25 years after giving birth to her second child!) come off. Not that it should matter either way (unless of course, it's posing a health risk or seriously affecting life/work in general).
Then, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gave birth to her baby daughter in November 2011 and faced immense backlash in national and international media for not regaining her pre-baby body back within weeks of giving birth, raising the question of the pressure women are under to be slim, trim and perfect after going through such a life changing event. Comments even went as far as to say she had "let her country down" and that it was her 'duty' to her fans to regain her pre-pregnancy figure. The story caught my attention when she eventually had to come out and 'defend' her choice, saying she was simply enjoying motherhood. As far as I'm concerned, she should never have had to give that kind of justification. No woman should ever have to justify such a choice to anyone, regardless of whether she is in the public eye or not.
Most pregnancies last for around nine months. In those nine months, a woman's body changes, grows and develops to accommodate the baby and prepares for not only a birth, but for everything that comes after the birth, including nursing. To slam women for not losing weight weeks after giving birth is spectacularly unfair, since our bodies need time to adjust to such a huge change - a further nine months at least, if not more. If she had spent hours on end at the gym working out and going on a diet of some sort, she would have been lambasted for being vain enough not to spend enough time with her baby, of neglecting her child and not being a 'proper' mother (like Kim Kardashian is, for example).
You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Just today I saw yet another article in a leading national newspaper about a mother who regained her pre-baby body four months after giving birth. All well and good if she was doing it for herself, to feel good about herself and remain fit and healthy, but why then talk about it to the papers? Why not keep it private or just share the experience with close friends and family members? All talking to the papers did was invite comment from those who thought she was the best thing since sliced bread, or those who she thought was a terrible mother for putting her body (and baby) though potentially dangerous exercises.
I'm all for women staying true to who they are (I can't see myself ever not dancing unless it was going to pose a threat to my baby or me) but perhaps a little bit of sensitivity towards those who are unable to shed the pounds immediately wouldn't go amiss. What we (and the media) need to understand is that every woman is different and whilst it may be easier for some to shed the baby weight, it isn't for everyone. Yes, some women do spring back into shape but that's mainly down to it being a matter of choice and more often than not, different body shapes and metabolism rates. Indian women, for example, naturally have wider hips and curves, as compared to Victoria Beckham and Angelina Jolie (to whom Aishwarya was being compared) so it is almost always near to impossible to look desperately skinny weeks after giving birth.
So ladies, worry not about your post-baby weight, only about your baby. The weight will, eventually (and when you're ready - my mother is only properly losing hers now, 25 years after giving birth to her second child!) come off. Not that it should matter either way (unless of course, it's posing a health risk or seriously affecting life/work in general).
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