Post-Pregnancy Bodies

I was inspired to write this post after reading an article by Martha Brockenbrough on MSN titled: Celebrity Bikini Shots: Warning Label Required. She writes about Faith Hill on the cover of Shape magazine. Faith claims that she has this wonderful of a body at 40 and after 3 children by doing Pilates 3 times per week. That may be the case - and she may be one of those genetically blessed people - but I personally think a little photoshopping was involved.
Before I got pregnant (and even during my pregnancy) I was OBSESSED with my body. I compared my pregnant belly to the various celebrities that were pregnant at the same time, women in pregnancy magazines and any woman I saw shopping. I didn't want to gain too much weight and I wanted to lose it all right away. I mean, if Heidi Klum can get into a bikini 6 weeks after having a baby, then I should be able to get into one after at least 6 months, right?? WRONG!
What I didn't want to admit is that even if I kept my weight gain at minimum and started to work out right away, there was this crazy thing called skin. And no matter how much lotion or potion I rubbed on my belly, there was no way that it was going to snap right back into place. It took 9 months to stretch and to think it was going to magically go back to normal was crazy thinking on my part.
Eva turned 6 months old last week and I am not 100% happy with my body right now, but I do think I have done a decent job at returning to normal. I think I have lost the majority of the weight, but no matter how many crunches I do, there still is this beer gut thing going on. Maybe once I stop breastfeeding and can start dieting it will return to normal, but maybe it won't. I have come to terms with the fact that my body has changed. If you think about it, having a baby is a wonderful journey - and I have the scars to prove it. Sure, I would love to have a body like Heidi, Angelina or Jessica Alba - but the fact is I don't have a nanny, personal trainer, personal chef or money for plastic surgery. I am a normal, regular everyday Mom who is happy when she gets to take a long shower. I just wish these celebrities would admit that they have some extra "help" in getting their body back so the rest of us normal Moms don't feel so bad:)