Have you listened to Tiffany Hall’s Ted Talk?

If you have had a baby, it is a must.

The Australian fitness guru shares a powerful message about embracing your postpartum body and describe how she decided to put herself, her body and baby first before trying to ‘bounce back’ after pregnancy.

The dynamics of pregnancy are complex- weight gain, difficulty exercising, changing hormones, pressure from others, morning sickness (that cn lasts all day) and changing food cravings can mean it a challenging time in a women’s life, physically and emotionally.

New mums are the most vulnerable in our community. Battling sleep deprivation, social isolation and nurturing the life of another, already carries along a certain set of pressure. But many look for weight loss a way to ‘claim back’ and cope with so much change.

Tiffany’s message could not be more powerful. She chose to focus on the miracle of life and how remarkable her body actually is. She chose to focus on fit rather than weight loss. She stresses the importance of self love as a daily practise through healthy eating, positive self talk and taking things slow.

She chose to bounce forward by becoming stronger and more powerful than ever before.

What does healthy weight gain look like during pregnancy?

One powerful fact I have learnt over my time training pregnant clients is that it takes a lot to grow a baby! Many women are surprised to learn the recommended wight gain needed to grow a baby.

The recommended weight gain for pregnancy is a around 11.5-16kg. However, what is ideal is ultimately based largely in the individual’s pre pregnancy weight. If a client is underweight when entering pregnancy, her recommended weight gain will be higher and the reverse is true for someone who is overweight.

Third Trimester Breakdown

While the baby might weight around 3-4kg at birth, the breakdown of the other maternal totals might add an extra 4-5kg. The breakdown is as follows: extra blood volume 1.5kg, extracellular fluid 1.5kg, breast tissue 0.5kg, uterus 1.0kg, amniotic fluid 3.4kg and placenta 0.6kg.

The Fourth Trimester

Women should be proud of their postpartums bodies. Every curve, piece of loose skin, stretch marks and stitch is a symbol of the incredible journey you have been on to grow a human. Refuse to accept societal pressure to ‘have it all together’. 

How to Bounce Forward

Reflecting on Tiff’s words and proven strategies, here are some amazing ways you can bounce forward after having a baby.

1. Connect and relate: Surround yourself with like minded women who share your story and lift you up. This will help normalise your thoughts and feelings while reminding you to be patient.
2. Surround yourself with the right messages: This might include unfollowing people on Instagram that make you feel disheartened and looking for women who are a source of inspiration.
3. Practise gratitude: Make gratitude an essential part of each day. Take a few breaths and express on thing about your wonderful body for which you are grateful for.
4. Practise self care: This could be taking a friend up on an offer to have your baby looked after, returning to safe exercise or adding more veggies to your plate.

Have you heard about our 23W Mums on the Move Program? WOuld you like more info? Contact Ange at hello@23w.com.au