Hey Baby!

As I sat sipping my tea while my little one was enjoying his afternoon siesta, I wondered what would be a good topic to debut with on my blog. Since my life for the last 2 years (add to that the months of pregnancy), have more or less revolved around little A, it was only natural that I thought of this.

To be more precise, the pressures of a modern day mother. And to be all the more specific, the pressure to get back into shape post delivery.  Whether you are a working woman who's gotten back to the desk after her maternity leave, or a woman who's taking care of the house and her child, this is something each one of us has been through. At times, it's the people around us who create the stress, at other times, it's we who put ourselves in that difficult spot.

Celebrity moms, who are constantly under media glare, take it upon themselves to lose their weight immediately after delivery, at any cost.
I remember having seen Shilpa Shetty on tv within weeks after her child was born. God alone knows (and of course their dietician /personal trainer/plastic surgeon does), what these women put themselves through. Health and other things be damned. And I'm not even going to delve into how the baby gets his nutrition through the breast milk. One could probably try to see their point of view as well. After all, Aishwarya Rai did receive a lot of flak for not having gone back to her pre-pregnancy figure sooner.

Leave celebs aside, and lets look around us. Currently, I live in a city where the unspoken national dress for ladies is a tinitiny pair of shorts. Yes, Singapore. And you couldn't possibly sport a tee and shorts with the baby fat sneaking out of all nooks and corners, could you? Just the other day, I saw a new mom in our condo. Somebody who I'd seen for a while, coming out for her daily dose of exercise in the pool, with a huge tummy until recently. The baby's barely a few days old, and the mommy was out with her hubby for her swimming session. Now to each his own, but I so wanted to go and tell her to chillax. Not worth it dear. And more importantly, that your baby needs you right now, both physically and emotionally. And this is not just about Singapore, mind you, things are no different in my own country, India, or say London, where I've spent a few years. Rather, in any part of the world. Some go through gruelling exercise regimes, others resort to crash diets. Either is a strict nono.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against mommies wanting to get back their old figures. I know how depressing it can get, when you're barely getting any sleep, your body is going through these big changes, your mind is trying to adjust to the new life, you're confused if you're doing the right thing for your baby. And to add to the trauma, you aren't fitting into any of your old clothes. Trust me, been there, done that.  A carefree remark by a husband, 'we could create more space in the cupboard if you'd give away your clothes for charity..' can cause havoc. And we all know, there is no bigger confidence booster to a woman than a fit reflection in the mirror.

So here are some friendly tips for newbie moms, from a mother who lost weight 10 months after her son was born. 

- For the first few months after your little angel has arrived, the focus has to be just him. 

- Believe it or not, breastfeeding besides all its other benefits, also helps you to shed those calories. 

- keep a separate wardrobe ready (maternity clothes come handy!) 

- Avoid second glances in the mirror. 

- Turn a deaf hear to any remark about your current or old shape. 

- Be positive.

And above all, just enjoy motherhood. That phase, where your baby is completely dependant on you for anything and everything in the world, ain't coming back. Hold those little fingers, and say a big FO to everything else. 

At the end of the day, fit or fat, who cares. It's only the naive men who think that 8th of March is the only women's day in the year ;-)