Why even start a blog for new mothers, you ask? There is so much information already floating out there in cyber-space…general tips on Parenting, the Kardashians’ waist-cinching tricks, fashion mag covers displaying supermodels breastfeeding in public, and the list goes on. What more do we need, right?
For me, the disgraceful art of Mommy-Shaming has been a huge catalyst in creating what I hope has become an open, judgement-free community that women can comfortably lean on to learn more about general wellness from one another. A realistic perspective from new mothers of various backgrounds who are doing their very best to lead a healthy lifestyle, amidst the huge and often wildly challenging adjustment that comes with being a parent.
So what exactly is Mommy-Shaming? For those new Mamas who haven’t heard of it yet, I’m sure you’ve already encountered this kind of unbecoming behavior without even realizing it’s actually a “thing” now, a social issue that I believe (as do many others) needs to be addressed, today.
At a very high level, Mommy-Shaming is the general act of making a woman feel LESSER because of her personal parenting choices, appearance, or any other aspect of motherhood that one could and should not judge [harshly]. This often comes from other WOMEN, believe it or not! Some examples from a recent Huffington Post article include the constant debate over Breastfeeding vs. Formula, “Organic” baby snacks, Pinterest Parties (WTF?), Fashion Faux Pas, and varying career choices. It’s absolutely ridiculous, and it all has to stop!
That’s why my goal here is to ultimately foster a welcoming community of women who are passionate about Living just a little bit Better everyday via smarter choices around health, fitness and general wellness.
We must collectively change our attitude–it’s time to cut the mean girl sh*t out, stop competing with one another, and start genuinely encouraging each other to embrace this special time as best we can, including the perfectly imperfect postpartum bodies that come with it!
Just like always, every woman has a unique build with health needs that vary from person to person. We were not all originally the same size zero to begin with before we had babies, so why the sudden push to pressure each other into those pants? We need to focus on rebuilding our self-confidence as new mothers…it’s a tough transition for any woman to move from pregnancy into her new postpartum self.
Of course there will always be room for improvement, and making healthier lifestyle choices will certainly help you work towards achieving those personal goals–that’s where we come in to educate you on best practices that are working for other new moms so far. But we’ve got to cut each other more slack in general, and join forces to become the best version of our new Mama selves.
After all, as Mothers, we have miraculously sacrificed our bodies for almost a year at a time to create, carry and deliver a new life…and there is absolutely NO shame in that!
What Makes You Move, Mama? 