Ever felt like society expects you to pull a magic disappearing act on your pregnancy body? Well, spoiler alert: that expectation is not only unrealistic, it’s downright harmful. I recently came across an eye-opening article by Emily Ricketts, a personal trainer who gained over 50 pounds during pregnancy, yet embraced kindness toward herself rather than the grim hustle to “bounce back.” You can read it here — and trust me, it’s a must-read.
Emily’s story is a refreshing breath of honesty in a world obsessed with Insta-perfect postpartum transformations. Instead of the typical “snap back” narrative, she leaned into the idea of starting fresh, feeling like a beginner again, and focusing on sustainable progress rather than instant results.
But why does this matter so much for people on the journey to parenthood? Because the pressure to “bounce back” can create a toxic cycle of shame and frustration — feelings nobody needs while adjusting to the enormous physical and emotional changes pregnancy brings.
