Pregnancy weight gain.
It’s one of those things everyone tells you is normal, but somehow, it still feels like an uphill battle. The doctors give you a number, an “ideal” weight range, as if your body is going to follow some perfect, textbook formula. Friends and family remind you, “You’re growing a human! It’s beautiful!” But when you step on the scale and see that number climb higher and higher, it doesn’t always feel beautiful.
At first, it starts slow—a pound here, a pound there. You barely notice it. Your jeans get a little tighter, but nothing major. Then one day, out of nowhere, you wake up and everything feels different. Your stomach stretches in ways you never imagined, your thighs rub together when you walk, your face looks rounder in the mirror. Your once-defined collarbones start to soften, and your favorite clothes no longer fit.
You try to remind yourself that this is part of the process. That this is what your body should be doing. But the mental struggle is real. Society drills into our heads that smaller is better, that bouncing back quickly is the goal, that gaining “too much” weight is something to be ashamed of. And even when you know better—even when you remind yourself that your body is literally growing an entire human—it’s hard not to feel self-conscious.
Then come the comments. The unsolicited opinions from people who should honestly just shut up. “Are you sure it’s not twins?” “Wow, you’re really getting big!” “You’re carrying all in your face!” (What does that even mean?!) And my personal favorite—“You know, my friend only gained 15 pounds when she was pregnant.” Cool. Good for her. Do you want a medal for that information?
As the months go on, your body keeps changing, and not always in ways that feel good. There’s the swelling—feet that no longer fit in your shoes, hands that feel puffy and stiff. There’s the back pain, the stretch marks, the feeling of your stomach being stretched beyond its limits. You don’t recognize yourself in the mirror anymore. Your body doesn’t feel like yours.
You try to stay positive. You try to focus on the miracle that’s happening inside of you. But some days, it’s hard. Some days, you feel massive. Some days, you feel like you’ll never feel confident again. Some days, you catch a glimpse of yourself in a window reflection and barely recognize the person staring back.
Then comes the guilt. Because how dare you complain about weight gain when you’re lucky enough to be carrying a child? How dare you be upset about your body when so many people would give anything to be in your shoes? But the truth is, you can be grateful and still struggle. You can love your baby and still have a hard time accepting the way your body is changing.
And then, just when you think you’ve accepted it, someone throws in the “How are you going to lose the baby weight?” comment, as if your body is a problem that needs to be fixed. As if the second you give birth, you should be hyper-focused on getting back to “normal.” But what even is normal anymore?
The truth is, weight gain during pregnancy is messy. It’s emotional. It’s physically exhausting and mentally draining. Some days you’ll feel powerful and strong, amazed at what your body is doing. Other days, you’ll feel like a stranger in your own skin. And that’s okay.
Because no matter how much weight you gain, no matter how different you look, no matter what society tries to tell you—you are still you. You are still worthy. You are still beautiful. And most importantly, your body is doing something incredible.
The weight? It’s temporary. The strength it takes to grow a life? That stays with you forever.
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