‘I tried to put my pre-baby jeans on, and they didn’t fit. ‘You did good, babe, ’I looked at myself in the mirror and said, instead of feeling like crap.’

“I tried to put my pre baby jeans on today, and they didn’t fit.

Instead of feeling like crap, instead of googling ‘How to fit in your jeans in one week’ and eating 200 calories every day.

I looked at myself in the mirror and said, you did good babe.

I didn’t just wake up one day with my body not fitting into jeans. I didn’t just wake up with muscle separation, a saggy belly, stretch marks or a bit of extra weight.

I had a freaking baby.

I grew a baby. I made it in my body. I made a foot in there, an eyeball, I made another heart and I made it beat.

So of course, it’s changed.

Normally not being able to get those jeans up meant I’d be in the cupboard gorging on chocolate, but I said to myself, seriously? Shut the heck up.

My body put on some weight. From a baby, from some good food, from some stress, from life. Is it so bad? Is it so bad for jeans not to fit when in comparison I’ve achieved a seriously amazing miracle?

I gained weight. My body changed. It doesn’t mean I’m lazy or unhealthy and it certainly doesn’t mean I’m not worthy of love.

Relax. Your body has changed. Your hips are wider, your stomach is different, your shape is different – it’s not worth stressing over and making yourself miserable. Give yourself permission to love what you have now. You’ve achieved so much, remember?”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Laura Mazza of Mum on the Run, where it originally appeared. Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best love stories here.

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