8 Ways To Support Body Confidence In Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the body changes so quickly that it can leave expectant mothers with mixed feelings on body image and self-esteem. If you love the way your bump looks and makes you feel — that's amazing. Pregnancy is an incredible feat of the female body, and we hope it makes you feel strong and sexy.

But pregnancy also takes a toll on the body and can come with some not-so-fun symptoms and uncomfortable days. With that in mind, there is absolutely nothing wrong with not loving every single thing about your changing pregnancy body. It’s normal to have days where you have to work for body confidence. It doesn’t always come naturally, no matter who you are.

The battle for body confidence is very real for new mothers too, but it’s important to remember that pregnancy and postpartum are not permanent states. By nature, they are periods of change. And change can be hard, especially when it involves learning how to live in a body that feels so different from what we’re used to.

We want to help you love the skin you’re in where possible and learn tools for treating your body kindly on days you don’t feel your best. Sometimes, we just need a bit of encouragement to help realign our confidence. So today, we have our 8 favorite activities and reminders that we always turn to when we’re in need of a body confidence boost.

8 ways to support your body confidence in pregnancy and beyond

1. Start your day with kind words … to yourself!

There is a lot of power in our words, especially the ones we speak to ourselves, and there is even more power in positivity. Say something kind to yourself as soon as you wake up. Give yourself a compliment for a recent success or practice mantras that set a positive tone for your day. You don't have to wake up and list everything you love about your body, but at least tell yourself one thing you’re proud of. Make a habit of thinking of yourself in a positive light. 

2. Enjoy intimacy and plenty of it! 

A huge component of body confidence in pregnancy and postpartum can be tied to how we think our partner sees our body. When you're not feeling 100% about how you look, it becomes very easy to believe that your partner finds you less attractive as well — but we'll be the first to tell you that that's not the case. The best place to get affirmation of attraction? The bedroom. It doesn’t have to be sex either, there are so many powerful forms of physical intimacy and foreplay that will allow you and your partner to enjoy each other (and your bodies).  

3. Fight the urge to give in to fatigue

Fatigue and pregnancy go hand-in-hand, and newborn baby days are exhausting by definition. So, we can’t necessarily avoid fatigue, but it’s important to be mindful of its negative impacts on mood. Fatigue is closely linked to increased feelings of low moods and depression — which all ties into body confidence and self-esteem. Habits that will help you naturally fight fatigue include daily exercise, time outside in the sunshine where possible, plenty of water, and getting plenty of protein, iron, and whole-grain carbohydrates in your diet.

4. Put social media in its place

There's no benefit in endlessly scrolling Instagram and seeing impeccably styled bumps and mothers who "look" like they have everything together, with perfect bodies to boot. We're betting they'll be the first to tell you they don’t have it all together. If you find that negative thoughts and energy build when you're using social media, give yourself a break from it. If there are particular people that (even unintentionally) make you feel worse about yourself, unfollow them. Remember, when you unfollow someone for this reason you are not disrespecting them, you are simply respecting yourself. 

5. Follow the golden rule, in reverse

You know the rule we were all taught as kids — “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. In this case, we want you to use it in reverse. Think about the things you say to yourself or about your body; would you ever say those words to your best friend, or your sister, or your mother? Talk to yourself as you would talk to them because you deserve that, too. 

6. Try a new way of thinking about your body

There's a particular quote we always turn to when it comes to how we think about our bodies. It goes like this:

“Your body is not a temple. Temples can be destroyed and desecrated. Your body is a forest — thick canopies of maple trees and sweet-scented wildflowers sprouting in the underwood. You will grow back, over and over, no matter how badly you are devastated.”

— Beau Taplin

It can feel like a lot of pressure to think of our bodies as temples — constantly needing to treat it right, exercise right, eat right. The forest analogy Taplin proposes allows us to think of our bodies in a fresh and forgiving light, and maybe that's just what you need when building back your body confidence.   

7. Do workouts that are fun, not forced

Regular exercise is one of the very best ways to boost your self-esteem, foster feelings of self-efficacy, and regain your body confidence. However, you'll never be able to stick to a regular exercise schedule if your workouts feel forced. Trust us on that. It's not worth doing workouts that don't make you smile while you sweat, because exercise should make you feel good. If you're in a workout rut, it’s time to try something different. Think about the last time you moved your body in a way that you enjoyed, and then go do that. For more inspiration check out this post.

8. Go shopping

When all else fails ... just kidding. But hear us out, because how we feel in our clothes has a lot to do with how we feel about our bodies — and there is nothing vain about that! There's credence to the idea that when you look good, you feel good. If your current wardrobe options aren’t helping you feel sexy and supporting your confidence, ask yourself why you’re still holding onto them. Maybe it’s time for a few new items to freshen things up and make you feel more fiercely you.

We’d love to know what tips and tricks you turn to when you’re needing support with body confidence. Share them in the comments below so we can all lift each other — and ourselves — up higher! For more tips and advice on wellness and self-love, download our app today.

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