Today I had my call with Dr. Andrea Pennington on blog talk radio. My portion is the first few minutes of the show, and you can listen here.
I wanted to mention something that I briefly touched on. I mentioned the term "Mommy makeover" and realized I may have offended some people by talking about this. This was not my intention, and I apologize if I may have offended anyone who has undergone a tummy tuck and/or breast augmentation after having a baby. My overall point is that after having a baby, many times a woman's body is not the same as it was before. Fat is in places it wasn't before, extra skin may be on the tummy and breasts sag. One of my good friends has even told me her husband calls her breasts "udders". Nice. What I want to emphasize is that if we work on accepting these body changes for what they are: body changes and nothing else, we can learn to live with them instead of relying on plastic surgery to give us back what (we thought) we needed. Whose standards is it that we have to have a flat stomach and perky breasts? That's what I'm asking. That when did it become so important that we all look like Barbie? I'm not ecstatic that my body doesn't look like it did before I had kids, but I'm working on loving it for what it is instead of going under the knife. I'm not better than anyone who does get plastic surgery; I know many smart, beautiful, amazing women that have, but I want all women to know that you can have body peace and happiness without plastic surgery. It is possible.
Photo courtesy of Angelina :)
4 comments:
Amen Andrea!! And can I add that those women who do get plastic surgery, be respectful to those who chose not to and just because you did it doesn't mean that everyone else should. Change happens regardless and if we can't start accepting them, then we are setting ourselves up for a lifetime of unhappiness. Embrace the changes and all those husbands/boyfriends need to help in this journey. Wish I could have listened had a houseful of kids today :-P
Nicely said!
Great post Andrea. When I started to question why it was I thought my body had to be a certain way, I really had no good answer. In the same vain, I have decided not to cover my ever increasing streaks of gray in my hair. Honestly, it's not that noticeable yet, but for a while, with each new gray hair I found, it was like a strike against me, and I immediately plucked it. Then I realized that it's just a natural part of getting older, and there are benefits to aging, such as wisdom, patience, and making peace with myself.
Loved this post, Andrea, and we reposted it here
http://www.womenspeak.com/speak-up/womenspeak-blog/
I think the most important thing is that we women need to support each others' right to do what we want to please ourselves and feel good.
Why would any other woman care what cosmetics I use, what hair color, what skin care procedures, what exercises? In my opinion, women are far too hard on each other (and ourselves)! Is do so many of us feel it is necessary for us to judge each other? "Do what you want to please yourself and let others do the same" is my motto.
Maggie
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