GentleBirth Body Positive - Feel at Home in your Postpartum Body
New in the GentleBirth App
When we launched the GentleBirth Body Positive program many years ago in CD form (yes that long ago) it was hugely popular. But life happened including moving countries and our small team focused all of our energy on the GentleBirth approach and App and Body Positive ended up on the back burner.
It’s BACK - and even better than before.
So many of us live from the neck up - never really inhabiting our body until there’s something wrong. Body Positive is an invitation to come home to your body and change how you experience your body over the next 12 weeks.
Mindfulness helps change your relationship to the challenges of life after birth including the many changes after pregnancy so you can feel more accepting, more kind and less judgmental towards your body. We recognize that feeling at home in your body doesn’t usually happen overnight and it takes a mindset shift, self compassion and acceptance.
So what is the GentleBirth Body Positive program?
Let’s start with what it’s not.
It’s not a diet.
But it’s quite likely that you will start to choose healthier options when following the 12 week program. There is no counting calories or fat grams or carbohydrates. You’ll learn how to ‘urge surf’ when you feel cravings coming on and start paying attention to patterns of thinking that can trigger those cravings.
It’s not deprivation.
With the help of hypnosis and mindful eating practices you can still eat whatever you want but as you you become more aware of how you feel after eating something not so nutritious you’ll become more intentional about what you eat, when you eat and why you eat. You’ll find your relationship with food will change too.
It’s not a weight-loss program.
As your behaviors begin to change and you start to exercise don’t be surprised if your weight changes. That’s not the intended goal but it’s not uncommon when we start to pay attention to our eating and exercise habits.
It has nothing to do with willpower - willpower isn’t sustainable.
Each week has a focus on different aspects of living a healthier lifestyle and learning to appreciate and nurture the body you’re in. Learning how to love your body isn’t easy but you can begin by making friends with your body and starting to see it as a life long ally rather than an enemy. Compassion is a big focus in our approach so on those days when you do have that 2nd slice of cake you mindfully enjoy every bite and don’t beat yourself up for being human.
Body Positive can be also be used during pregnancy especially if you have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and are having a hard time with cravings or if you’re preparing to conceive but be sure not to drop your birth preparation sessions.
After you complete the 12 week program you can repeat the program or focus on particular areas that are important to you.
Come home to your body today - it’s been waiting for you.
Tracy
Resources:
The Relationship of Mindfulness to Body Shame, Body Responsiveness, and Health Outcomes