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Video Response to Comments about my Postpartum Body Posts

By on September 1, 2015 in Miscellany, Mommyhood

I’ve gotten some…er…negative feedback about my postpartum body posts, and writing a response just didn’t seem right. So here I am - unedited and un-beautified - telling it how it is. The title is pretty self-explanatory. I hope you enjoy it or at least understand. xoxo

  • Jenn AJennuineLife

    Love you! Hugs!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thanks, friend. :) xoxo

  • citricsugar

    It’s sad that your journey and YOUR OWN STUFF has been perceived as being a guideline or instructional for others, as though you have determined ‘normal’ for everyone, instead of what you feel is ‘normal’ for you. Never once did you ever hint at shaming anyone else for how they look, appear, or think about themselves. You do not contribute to unrealistic expectations; people who might have insecurities are internalizing and assuming that you are speaking about them. That’s THEIR stuff - they need to deal with it and it’s somewhat unfair for them to criticize you and hijack your image issues and make them theirs. What they could’ve done is be supportive and acknowledge the things you’re struggling with, identify, share without taking what you’re saying as a personal attack, because how could it be. One person’s issue/success/struggle is not another person’s shame/failure/oppression under unreal expectations.

    You’ve been brave, honest, and real. And beautiful. Thank you.

    And I hear you on toxic words: “Fat cow” is vicious. So is “skinny bitch”. People shouldn’t try lift themselves up by tearing others down. It’s hard enough to be a human being without being attacked for our own view’s on ourselves. You saying you want to be in a body that more closely resembles that before your children does not equal you calling everyone else ‘fat’, unhealthy, or any other word that you didn’t say, imply or even think.

    I’ve watched my sister struggle with her weight and having 2.5 kids. I’ve been called horrible, completely unrelated names for my shape and force-fed sandwiches. But my sister didn’t take my struggles to keep it on as a criticism of her struggles to lose it. My cousin who was struggling with fertility didn’t take it as a personal affront when my sister got pregnant unexpectedly.

    It would be wonderful if those who spoke of feminism understood the meaning behind it - support and empowerment, as opposed to attacking and hair-pulling….

    Keep on doing you - you rock at you. Everyone else has to get comfortable being them.

    Completely unrelated, I’ve totally been draughting off your pattern reviews…. It’s nice to see things all made up in a style close to what I’d make, in the approximate size and what the hinkey parts of the patterns are before I buy them - thanks! (Made two Foxglove tanks this summer, too….)

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much for watching and commenting! I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and I love that my pattern reviews are helpful! xoxo

  • Katie

    I loved your video — and I did watch the whole thing! You expressed this sentiment so well and the message that we need to change the conversation is exactly right.

    I would also fall in the “normal” body category and I’ve also struggled to accept the changes, both physical and emotional, that have come with motherhood. After having 3 kids, I have stretch marks all over my stomach, my skin sags and hangs, I have a scar from my first who was born by C-section, my boobs are limp and saggy and will never be nice and perky like they were before feeding 3 babies. I have bags under my eyes because I don’t sleep as much as I should and I see a physical therapist for the constant low back pain that comes with carrying around a 30-pound 2-year-old.

    But I find it hard to talk about my insecurities because I am a “normal” size and shape. If I ever try to talk about it, most people just brush it off and tell me I look fine or great, or I don’t need to lose weight because of X, Y and Z. But it’s not so much about the number on the scale as it is about all the things you talked about — fitting into my clothes, keeping up with my kids, making sure that I’m still there when they’re 40 or 50 or 60 and that I’m healthy for as much of that time as possible.

    It also really resonated when you talked about how becoming a mother can be a very lonely, isolating thing. I feel that way a lot. I even work full time and I still feel very isolated sometimes. My life revolves around getting kids ready in the morning, going and working all day and then dealing with kids after work until they go to bed. Then I need to spend some time with my husband and if I’m lucky I get an hour or two to sew or do something for me. Oh, and somewhere in there I need to shower! I’m hopeful that this will start to change as my kids get older, but when they’re little it’s really tough.

    Anyway, there’s no way to put it all into words — this is a discussion to have over a glass of wine! But thank you for saying what so many of us feel but have difficulty putting into words. It is much appreciated and you are definitely not alone!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      People keep telling me it will get better as my kids get older. I hope they are right! I just want to feel like my old, energetic self again (but not old, ha). Thank you for watching and commenting. :)

  • Kimberly Payne

    Fist pump lady!! Love the video, through my tears and laughs. All of it is so so true!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thanks, dear. 😉 xoxo

  • Anne Jacobs

    So I am one of the kninny ladies and when I talk about my mommy tummy or my missing butt. Or about trying to gain weight to be healthier people shut me down. And that hurts to. So thank you for your message. Hopefully we can start looking at each other differently.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Anne - Yep, people need to understand it goes both ways. Body shaming is never good.

  • Terri

    Preach it Sista!! — Yes every woman/mother has felt this way about their bodies or themselves and I absolutely intend to generalize that, because it is true. Say I. I!
    There is a social — and I would argue genetic attribute to females that tells us we need to feel accepted for how we look in a positive manner, maybe even sexual. I say genetic because every human in this world wants to feel accepted/seen/ recognized for who they are and what they represent, but woman have a harder struggle. Woman need to prove themselves in looks/ success/ motherhood…on and on and more often than not, we need to prove ourselves by grouping several of those attributes together.
    Women also like to judge one another, because it makes us feel more adequate as women; A women that puts heels on, has her make up and hair done, lugging around 2 kids, must not pay attention to her kids, if she spends that much time on herself. But yet a woman that walks out of the house at 2:00pm looking like a scrub, must not pay enough attention to her kids, because she doesn’t pay attention to herself. It’s an evil circle that YES must be stopped and the conversation MUST be changed. Thank you for being honest, not that you weren’t before - posting a video is no easy task.
    HUGS!!!!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Teri! We can’t win for losing sometimes, right?! 😉

  • Gabrielle

    Hear hear: well said! Such a difficult topic, but I totally know where you’re coming from!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      I appreciate your watching, Gabrielle. :)

  • Elizabeth Lehman

    the invisibility you speak of, i think, is universal… we all have insecurities in one way or another about our body… i’m not sure there is anyone who doesn’t, like you say. we should be striving to be healthy and strong and that is different for every single person. thank you for this, for bringing up this topic. i wish we would accept each other just the way we are, to have compassion for each other, as we should have for ourselves.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Elizabeth! :)

  • http://thelittlecave.wordpress.com Dalia

    This is all so true. If my comment contributed to this discussion I am sorry, it certainly wasn’t meant that way.
    I gained a lot of weight for no apparent reason in the years before I became pregnant, and no amount of exercise and dieting stopped that. I let go of the feeling that it is my fault (which it really wasn’t, my pregnancy revealed a thyroid-problem) concentrated on the parts of my body that are beautiful and dressed for my new shape. That is how I started sewing, and what a magic bullet it is.
    Even now with the post-baby-issues I can sew around them… grading from one size to another and adjusting patterns and finding shapes that work around the belly. It is a refreshing challenge. Or that is how I like to view it.

    And in all honesty, I subscribed to your blog the minute I found it because of your refreshing honesty and, dare I say it, how unique amd interesting your face is, when all the other bloggers look the same.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much, Dalia! Wow, this comment made my night! :)

  • Naii Naii

    love your video! i am one of those normal or skinny person and people would criticize me if I complain about my body ! I had my third son two years ago, my older is eight years, before that I used to do a lot of exercises and now I feel the necessity of take care of my body again. i don’t wanna be a 40y sexy/whatever woman but to be healthier as you say, to fell that I can run and play with my kids with good energy.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Yep! It’s all about getting healthy.

  • http://www.sewingprincess.com Silvia - Sewing Princess

    I really want to thank you for such a great video where you managed to discuss a complicated topic in such a clear manner. What you say really resonates with me. I’ll be honest here, I don’t think we can prevent that when we speak/write someone “will feel uncomfortable”. As we all know, our minds (especially women’s, sorry) can work wonders at interpreting things beyond the actual words. Both your post and this video seem to me very balanced and neutral, clearly not everyone will agree but that’s my opinion.
    I liked how you touched upon the topic of ‘not being a matter of fat or skinny but about dissatisfaction about one’s body’. In my life I’ve gone through the experience of not even being entitled to speak about weight because I am considered ‘skinny’. That to me is unfair. If I gain weight from my baseline normal body or if I feel unfit, that’s just as legitimate as someone who’s heavier and has similar concerns. And my talking about it is not degrading anyone who’s heavier or trying to make them feel fat.
    So, going back to your conclusion ‘Let’s support each other’ and stop fighting a silly battle of ‘who’s entitled to complain about weight, nose, ankles, complexion, hair’
    At the same time…I guess we should also learn to accept ourselves with our human imperfections ;o)
    Hugs to you and all your readers!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Ha! I felt like I was rambling a lot, but I’m glad you thought I was making sense. Thank you for watching and commenting. :)

  • Steph Skardal

    Thanks for sharing, Lauren. I’m so there with you. Navigating the post babies body image is hard, and especially hard when we see so many curated photos on social media, so I can related to everything you said. Like you, my goal is to in general get more fit and try to eat healthier (which is hard when you are breastfeeding and want to eat whatever is in sight!).

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Social media is sooo not real life, ya know? Not for me or anyone. But we often fool ourselves into thinking it is. Comparison is the thief of joy though, right?

  • Charity Giasson

    Thank you so much for this video! I watched the whole thing and it was just what I needed to hear.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      I’m glad to help. :)

  • lisa g

    I totally understand! I had my four babies within 5 years (my oldest was 4.5 when my youngest was born…), breastfed them all, and the whole ordeal was very, very hard on my body! My baby is 6.5 now, and I’m still struggling to feel good about myself, even though I would consider myself fit and healthy. We’re always our own worst enemies and harshest critics. Getting fit is a great goal, and don’t underestimate what can be done in 10 mins here or there. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts on the topic, and I look forward to following your journey!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Lisa! Having babies, especially close together, is so difficult!

  • http://theginghamginger.com/ Nena Fisher

    OMG! How horrible! To me there is no difference between the women that tell you you have a big nose and the women that try to make you feel guilty for showing (to them) unrealistic body goals. They are bullies. You are brave! You are beautiful! And somehow what they also don’t get is that you are inspiring. Go on, get healthy. I’m right there with ya. I was a tiny girl, size 4, and it took me almost three years after giving birth to get back down to a size 8. But I’ve never been in better shape. What’s important is the quality of life I spend with my family. Not wether or not I’ve have a flat tummy.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Nena! Yes, it is all about quality of life!

  • Ashley Drudge

    Thank you for sharing this video! I have a 4 year old, an almost 2 year old and another on the way and am considered to be one of those ‘skinny’ people. I’ve never really struggled with my weight but have constantly struggled with being fit and healthy. In high school I had some friends that would visit the gym on a regular basis but would never invite me because I was already skinny and didn’t need to lose weight.
    Since having babies, I’ve especially noticed how unfit I am and how important exercise is! Breastfeeding and lugging babies and toddlers around has left me with constant tension headaches, backaches and muscle pains just because I don’t have the core strength to keep up with it all. It gets frustrating but for me, a ‘skinny’ person, to complain about needing a workout is frowned upon by too many people.
    I feel like an even bigger problem is being judged on our food choices! Sometimes I choose a salad over fries because I just really like salads, but then receive comments like ‘you could use some more fat on those bones’ or ‘Really? You’re trying to lose weight?’. People! I just like salads, ok?
    Anyways, I just want to say that you have re-inspired me to become more fit during my pregnancy. I appreciated your body posts and would like to hear more about your journey! I am also all for the destructive ‘woman-shaming’ to stop! As women and mothers we need to be constantly reminding ourselves that we’re all on the same team and that we need support each other, not tear each other down!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      I have ALL THESE THINGS, too. I eat very poorly and have pains all the time. Kids are so hard on our bodies, so the least we can do is try to take care of them, right? Easier said than done though. :)

  • http://www.110creations.com/ Beth Byrge

    I had my second child about a week after you had Finn (another girl, who we named Harper :) ) so much of this resonated with me. You’re my hero!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Wow, thank you, Beth! That’s a lot to live up to. 😉

  • Kelly Tuttle

    I’m sorry you even had to explain yourself like that. I too had my 4 children close together (they are 5, 4, 3 & 1 1/2) and I too have a normally thin frame. I exercise a lot and watch my weight (and still complain about my body, yes- I have body issues too!) and don’t like the feeling that me wanting to better myself offends other people who don’t have the same fitness goals as I do. We all have different goals in life. If your goal is to lose weight so you can fit back into your favorite clothes, and someone else’s goal has nothing to do with losing weight, they have no right to shame you. Your not shaming them. If they don’t want to follow your postpartum weight loss, then they can choose to not read those posts. As a woman and mother of 4, who’s body has ballooned up and down in size thru 4 pregnancies, I kind of appreciate you putting your struggle out there. It shows me I’m not the only one. Also I am Polish and have a huge nose that I got made fun of for my whole entire life, so I can connect with you on that too! And even though I exercise a lot and am thin, I am flat chested (never got out of a size A even when breastfeeding) and my stomach isn’t flat and actually during times of bloat, sticks out farther than my chest. So yes, you are not the only one struggling and you never offended me with any of your posts. If anything it kind of made me feel camaraderie with you.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Kelly! It is interesting how we on the other side of things almost aren’t “allowed” to feel bad about our bodies or looks. Hopefully we can change that. I know it’s always been a struggle for me to be comfortable in my own (skinny) skin.

  • Janet

    Lauren, you are a warrior just like all the moms out there struggling with their bodies. Wanting to lose weight, get strong, eat healthy is NOT a judgement of people with different struggles or personal goals. It’s just your own struggle, your own stuff, and you have every right to own it and share it. Thank you for putting yourself out there like this. I feel like you were telling my story and the story of every woman I’ve ever spoken to about food, weight, body image, pregnancy, beauty, whatever. I don’t want to feel guilty about my personal goals, and neither should you. Confidence and good health are great goals!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Janet. It’s so great to hear that others feel this same way. I mean, I wish they didn’t, but it’s reassuring to know we are all in this together. :)

  • Sally

    You are so awesome. From one of the first posts I read from you, about your small town background, to the one about your grandmas home to this…..your honesty and mother love shine through in everything you do! Thank you again.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Wow, Sally, you must have been reading for a while. :) I really appreciate it and your comment.

  • Justine

    I wish I could reach out and give you a huge hug right now, Lauren! I think you’re awesome! I want to be like you-with all of your beautiful courage and strength.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thanks, Justine! xoxo

  • http://www.thekammerzells.com/ Nakia

    Its sad that you have to defend your self. Your reasons for your postpartum weight loss journey are yours and what gives random internet people the right to criticize? Also…you just had a baby. Seriously.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      I hear ya, Nakia. :)

  • http://workspace-fads.com.au Sarah Pondevie

    I think you are an inspiration, and well done for showing how ‘normal’ women are. I have loved watching your videos, it has been very reassuring seeing a working mother juggle family and still run a business. You’re fab :)

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Sarah! It is quite a balancing act at which I often fail! But I’m doing my best. :)

  • http://www.Jo-AnneAndersonStudio.com Jo-Anne Anderson

    I listened Lauren, I think you are great, doing a great job and it’s amazing that you are sharing all your body / shape stuff. Bodies are amazing, they do stuff, they change. If we could accept that and not get hung up about it we would all be in a better place. Also clothes should be fun & functional so lets work on that rather than our particular shape / size / weight hang ups. and sheesh, you’ve had a baby, and more babies…what an amazing thing, go look after yourself, be good to yourself, do what you want to do. be happy.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much, Jo-Anne. :)

  • Dollofmalice

    Lauren, your honesty and clarity is so refreshing to me. I became a mom 13 years ago when I was well in my prime, and when I bounced back from childbirth easily. Now with 5 kids, and the youngest being 4… I still have a hard time with this body of mine. I was very thin all my life and have fluctuated up and down between what I was and what is average. I have the normal trouble areas that women complain about and also have breasts that will never recover because that is what 10 plus years of breastfeeding does to them. However, as I get older I also have more moments of the “ah fuck it” moments, but a lot of that comes from the fact that I am active and I do have stamina. However, I am still flabby and jiggly. In some cultures I am womanly and voluptuous, in others like our country, I am fat, plus size even. I know I will never be picture perfect, and I am allowed to complain and be upset, but I also know enough that it is no reason to wallow in. I hate that our media and interactions are full of diets and gadgets and clothing and makeup and all these things that conpletely tranform how we look or how our body reacts to things simply because that is what our society is telling us that we, as women, need to do. We should all be able to complain, and we should all be able to celebrate our bodies. We, as women, just need to learn to accept each other and help each other out on these journeys.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much! I have really enjoyed your IG posts on this topic, too. We are all going through this journey together - and what a journey it is! :) xoxo

  • emily

    There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose baby weight. I also worked very hard after my pregnancies to lose the weight. Good for you!!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thanks, Emily! xoxo

  • Lorelei Jayne

    I love your posts, i’m bigger, don’t care. I just find you to be really relate able and i love your writing. I think your intelligence and sincerity make me like you as a business person and an awesome lady.
    Also Haters gonna Hate.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much, Lorelei. :)

  • http://grosgraingreen.blogspot.co.uk Helen // Grosgrain Green

    Gah! I just lost a big comment, and now I can’t remember exactly how I phrased it, but suffice to say, it’s not your responsibility to make others feel good about themselves. That’s just ridiculous. Would those making negative comments respond in the same manner if you were a colleague chatting in the office, or a friend ordering a salad at dinner? It’s YOUR choice, and it’s YOUR blog, so you get to post what you want. Saying that your choice to lose weight is offensive to those who see themselves as overweight, is like a skirt wearing me, being offended because you choose not to wear a skirt. Like somehow your choice means you think mine is obscene, stupid or offensive. WTF?

    Lovely video though. You look beautiful (even your nose, which just makes you you), and your honesty was lovely too.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you, Helen! I have come to terms with my nose. I used to want a nose job SO badly, but now, I agree…it’s part of me. :)

  • birdsongpatterns

    So for most of my later 20s and 30s I was what I would call “skinny fat.” I’ve always been a thin person and was downright skinny as a kid. It’s tough to complain about weight or body issues to others when your natural shape is thinner than average….so it’s my guess that’s what happened with you. I simply don’t talk about it that much except to a couple of trusted people.

    With that being said, it’s very, very hard to exercise when you have little ones. Of course it’s an excuse, but it’s kind of a good one. I looked thin, at the low end of BMI for my height, but my waist continued to grow as I lost muscle tone and gained “ice cream tone” around my middle. My blood pressure went up - enough that I even needed to use meds - and I noticed that my sugar levels were starting to approach borderline diabetic even though I weighed less than 110 pounds (I’m 5’1″). Most wouldn’t even know I had any issue at all! But I knew…and even though the scale said I was fine….I wasn’t.

    Anyway, by the end of my 30s I started having more time again to exercise and work out, and did better…then fell off the wagon again for a couple of years after back surgery and general laziness….and came back to it again and have made a true lifestyle change. I never actually gained much more than 5-6 pounds but I definitely replaced good “muscle” weight with bad “ice cream” weight. I can say that except for the effects of time (and nursing) that are out of my control…my shape really is “back.” And you can get back to a pre-baby shape, for the most part, by following a cleaner diet and exercising 30-60 minutes 3-4 times a week…which you will have time to do once your kids are older. In the past year I lost 2″ off my waist and only needed to lose 6 pounds to do it…it was a combination of healthier eating, making sure I eat the right number of calories for my size, and regular exercise. But it took a few months, because my body just didn’t want to let those very few pounds go without a fight.

    I know that many here would roll their eyes at my story (poor her, needed to lose 6 pounds). But before we judge anyone….a heavier person, within reason, can be completely healthy, so we can’t judge. And a thinner person can be unhealthy, as I was getting to be. With little ones, I would consider focusing on getting that energy back - spending a half hour just 3 days a week to start. There are some great 30-minute videos on YouTube that you can do with kids in the room….drop me a line and I can give you some links. Within a couple of months you’ll have that energy back with very little effort, and you’ll be proud of yourself (and your husband will be proud of you too!!!). My blood pressure is under 120/80, my resting pulse is low because of exercise, my sugar levels have got to be better since I’ve eaten less junk (I go for a physical in mid-September, so, fingers crossed!!), I sleep better, and I have so much more energy.

    It will happen for you, too. :) :) Just give yourself some time to enjoy those little ones and don’t worry too much!

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much! xoxo

  • Monserratt Lopez

    Lauren, you are awesome, intelligent and beautiful.
    Thanks for talking about this.

    • http://www.laurendahl.com/ Lauren Dahl

      Thank you so much. I really appreciate your reading and commenting. :)

  • Grace

    It took me awhile (and my mom taking my two year old for the day) to get a chance to sit down and watch this video. It was so powerful for me to watch and really hear. I want to take it to my weight watchers meeting next week and make everyone in there watch it too. I think as someone who has struggled with my weight forever, the postpartum part seems less important. I weigh more now (8 months after the birth of my second daughter) than I ever have before, but I have always been up and down. And my down, my goal weight and where I feel healthy and comfortable and good, is so much closer to where you are than where I am right now. That has made it hard for me to see your post partum posts because my initial reaction is that I am sad for you that you can’t be happy with yourself right now. Sad for you that you can’t just be proud of your body for what it has made and what it is still sustaining. But that is about me. Why can’t I be happy with myself right now, proud of what my body has done, proud of the strength I have that I never knew about, even if I am 100 pounds up from where I want to be, and you are less up from where you want to be. It is the same struggle, the same feelings, the same issues. Your comments on feelings of self worth are so exactly the feelings I am struggling with right now, as well as the goal being feeling healthy. I too used to be very active and much more fit, and it was such fun to be hiking and adventuring with my husband, and strong in my yoga practice, and I want that back! I want to be that good example for my daughters of healthy living, not just obsessing about being thinner. I would never comment on anyone else’s body struggles, because it is theirs and not mine, and I can not believe that people would say such horrible things to you because clearly we are all struggling here (and I guess anyone who isn’t struggling should just be so happy skipping through a glimmering meadow that they don’t have time for negative comments online) and the fact that anyone would comment on your nose is totally shocking and horrifying to me. Your comment on people using the word skinny really stopped and made me think. I would love to be called skinny, my family and I all use it to compliment each other because it is not something we usually are, but I totally see how for others it is negative, and you are so right that we need to stop putting labels on other people’s bodies. Ok, clearly I have a lot to say on all this, but I just want to say before I stop rambling- you are always the sewing blogger I have felt like I have the most in common with sewing and style-wise, and this video just makes me realize how much more we have in common and how much I respect you and what you do and wish that we could be real life friends (and I love your cowl-neck linden and sewing fangirl posts!)

  • HKK

    You keep taking care of your family and yourself and don’t mind the (#$%@@) who willfully misunderstand everything. I am totally in the same boat with you…only I haven’t started my overdue fitness regime yet :)…..but hopefully if i keep coming up against inspiring stuff like your posts I will get down to it. What I don’t understand is why we must keep going on about our images as if there is nothing more important in the world. It is very important to be fit….period. BUT not everyone has the same opportunities to start immediately the minute they become unfit (for whatever reason). Give our support to ppl who are trying …..Y must they stop trying to be fit because we cant???? And seriously ….if we abuse the nice normal ppl with nice normal issues trying in their nice normal ways to be healthy……then seriously what does that say about ourselves?

  • blueghostgirl

    HI,

    I am one of those strange people who, because of the work I was doing, learnt in my early 20s that every person has their own struggles. If a person is in a bad mood, and takes it out on me, it wasn’t because of me, it was their own issues. Same can be said of people who have a fantastic day, and want to share how wonderful everything is (which is especially bad for the people who are in bad moods, as they just feel worse about how bad they feel).

    As a race we are very judgemental, and not particularly empathetic. We internalise a lot of things that have nothing to do with us, and feel people are trying to bring us down, especially when all other people are trying to do is work out their own stuff, and share their own stories.

    Your postpartem posts are interesting, especially as I haven’t yet had children, so I have some idea what to expect, so thank you for sharing.

    As far as my stories go, I guess I find it somewhat amusing that we all have our own quirks about our bodies. I carry my weight on my thighs, with a comparitavely small waist (figure courtesy of my grandmother), which makes finding pants that fit a nightmare. If they fit around my hips, they gape at my waist (and if I am really lucky, fall down!). Saying this is not that I hate my body or that part of my body, just that I recognise I must learn to make my own pants, so they actually fit!
    That said, I have my own fitness goals at the moment, as I have gained weight since I hit my 30s (5 years ago) and want to get my waist back to 32 inches. That is where it hovered all though my 20s, and it has expanded slowly over the past 5 years (partly due to comfort eating…). Even with that waist measurement, I will still be plus sized though.

    Anyway, thanks for posting this.

  • devonmorgan

    Just sending you a big ol’ hug from NC. I appreciate your honesty, and wish we lived closer to get our kids together. Keep on rocking it, mama: physically, emotionally, business-wise and personally. You are beautiful and real.

  • Melanie Lynn

    Lauren, I just found your blog this evening. I am not one to comment often but I loved this video. I just have to tell you that as I was looking at all of the fabulous garments you have sewn (before watching this video) I was struck by how beautiful you look in all of them! I am a Mom of five little ones and have sure seen my fair share of changes! Thank you for the encouragement to stay healthy and to not judge. Best of luck on your journey through life as a woman and all that it encompasses.

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