It’s hard for me to fathom that today officially marks 30 weeks of pregnancy… it has both flown by, and crept by, at the same time. We’re slightly unprepared for our little lady’s arrival, in the sense of having her nursery complete…. clothing items…. special “just for her pieces” (read: not hand me downs from Harper…)…. and I remarked to TJ last night that by this point in my pregnancy with Harper we had the nursery completed, an entire seasonal wardrobe picked out, and we were stocked up on items for her that we’d inevitably never use (#FirstTimers). Needless to say, once the construction is completely finished on our home, we’ll move it into high gear and get all her little details in order….

Yet there has been something that I’ve wanted to chat about the past several months…  but have opted not to on several occasions. It’s body image, more specifically, loving your body while being pregnant (and of course, beyond….). I’ve closed myself off to openly talking about some of my own struggles during this pregnancy mainly due to fear. It’s truly a blessing, and a miracle, to be able to carry, grow, and birth a baby…. and I didn’t want to come off as if I take that part of it for granted (or insensitive to others). Yet, it takes a lot for the female body to do so, and there are so many changes that occur to your body… no one can fully prepare you for them until you actually go through the process. I mean, I’ve been through it before, and seemed to have forgotten! I’ve received countless messages from other pregnant women asking about weight gain + feeling uncomfortable in their own skin “this pregnancy…” and I can relate with them…. just today I sent TJ a message about something pregnancy body related….

All that to say, I know this isn’t just “pregnancy specific…..” we all have those days where we feel insecure about our bodies… and don’t give it the proper love it deserves. We say mean things about ourselves… probably compare ourselves to something/someone we see on TV or social media, and get down. So today I thought I’d share just a few ways that I’ve worked through body issues I’ve had throughout this pregnancy, in the hopes of helping just one person (pregnant or not)!

1. Be Nice: Basically, don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to a girlfriend. Here are the things I tell my beautiful friends when they’re pregnant, in post pregnancy, or when they’re just having “those” days…. “You look beautiful…” “You look amazing!….” “You’re growing a baby, be nice to yourself and give your body credit for everything that it’s doing….” Those are nice words. Encouraging words. I’d never point out to my friend a new spot of cellulite, a stretch mark, a melasma marking on her face, or the fact that her hair looks a little limp lately (yes, all things I’m guilty of doing to myself). So why say them to ourselves?? We should be lifting ourselves up, just as we would our girlfriends… because, in all honesty, we should be our own biggest fans…..

2. Find The Beauty: Whenever I find myself heading down the road mentioned above, I give myself grace. I remind myself of what it takes to grow a baby…. the miracle that it is… and how blessed I am. I find something nice to focus on…. how maybe my skin is particularly “glowy” for the day…. how amazing it is to be able to feel our little lady kicking…. how strong my body is to be able to do this for nine months… or how at least I can have a sense of humor about the changes (because really, some of them are quite interesting….)…. anything, no matter how small, is better than saying something negative. It’s like the saying says “Imagine if we obsessed about the things we loved about ourselves….” Our thoughts are so powerful, we have to choose them with caution.

3. Dress To The Body:  Adding new items to your wardrobe to grow with your expanding belly, and body, is incredibly helpful in feeling “normal.” I mean, squeezing into clothes that just don’t fit, or feel right, is a recipe for feeling negative.  For me personally, when I’m wearing a few items that feel good, and fit well, I feel a little more pep in my step. Some of those pieces come from Jockey’s line of bralettes + underwear. Their pieces are soft, easy to throw on and go under your top layers, and the on point designs leave you feeling stylish. I’ve been wearing the retro stripe bralette since I found out I was pregnant (included it in my pregnancy must haves several weeks ago) and pretty much wear it non-stop (I have it in 4 colors). It’s incredibly comfortable on the skin, with a “barely” there feel… and it fits nicely with both a large, and smaller, chest (I’d know at this point….). I wear it on walks, light workouts, with tees + sweaters, and around the house. When paired with these super comfortable matching joggers (that I’ve been sleeping in nightly), it’s a match made in comfort heaven. Other favorite basics, that I personally own and love (and fit great) include these sleep shorts, henley tank, sherpa vest (perfect for cold morning workouts, seen here), popover sweater, and post workout bomber jacket.

4. Do Something Nice: I try to do something nice for my body daily… and base it on how I’m feeling that particular day. An invigorating workout (of course, the intensity has changed over the past several months), a nutritious meal (fresh smoothies have been my recent cravings….), washing my hair (yes, surprisingly that makes such a huge difference), an at home manicure, a soak in the tub with some bubbles, a little nap… listening to my body, and giving it what it needs, is a way to show myself, and the amazing work that my body is doing, love. And of course, this isn’t just applicable to being pregnant. Think about everything your body does for you on a daily basis…. from the ability to run after your children…. to teach a classroom full of students… to negotiate big deals… or get through a workout…. showing it some love acknowledges how much you appreciate the body you have… and in turn helps you (well, me at least) feel good about the skin I’m in.

5. Avoid Comparison: While I know that this seems a little obvious, it’s worth stating. Everyone woman’s body is different (pregnant or not)… and every woman carries a baby differently. Some show earlier than others and some barely show at all… some carry low, others high (I was very high with Harper, and I’m super low this time around….). Comparing yourself to others and wondering if you’ve gained too much weight, or not enough (your doctor will let you know about both), will only leave you feeling robbed of your own personal pregnancy experience. Your body is unique, knows what it needs, and will adapt accordingly.
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 (Outfit Details || Bralette | Pants | TJ’s Pants | TJ’s Tee)

Thank you to Jockey for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.