The Truth About the Postpartum Body

First of all, just accept that your body *will* change. It is inevitable. Sure, there are things you can do to minimize any negative effects, but the fact is that you can't stretch your stomach out to the size of bowling ball and then expect it to go back to normal. And now, the cold hard, facts:

• Stomach: Immediately after having the baby, my stomach went from a hard round ball to a disgusting, floppy, leather bag of jello. I didn't really mind the pregnant belly; sure it was huge, but it was firm. The aftermath was... gloopy. I don't know how to describe it, and to be honest I tried to avoid looking at or touching the tummy region for the first few weeks.
• Marks: Speaking of the stomach region, I did at least manage to avoid stretch marks. I used a stretch mark cream made by Palmer's. All the medical research says those creams don't do squat, but hey, they don't hurt either.
• Boobs: Talk about a roller coaster! I went from an A cup to Pamela Anderson overnight. I finally truly understood the phrase "boulder holders". Once I stopped nursing Isabel, though, I went back to my pre-pregnancy size. It was fun while it lasted, but I don't really miss 'em... more trouble than they're worth.
• Hair & Nails: My hair and nails stopped their furious rate of growth pretty soon after I had Isabel. I think it was a combination of the pregnancy and the prenatal vitamins. A lot of women lose hair after they deliver, but I think I just went back to normal.
• Hips: Wider. Simple as that. I only fit into one pair of my pre-pregnancy pants. It's not a weight issue; my hips are actually pretty bony. I guess the effort of delivering a baby forces your bones to shift, and they just stay that way.
• Now: I'm not back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and I don't think I ever will be again. However, I'm happy with where I'm at. I still have a little bit of a gut, but I think with more exercise I can firm things up there, and until then I can just suck in when anyone's looking!