Home / Life / Motherly Stories One mama’s moving post about bounce-back culture: “We’re growing forward” Dana Lawrie Slowly. And giving ourselves the patience and grace that we deserve along the way. By Dana Lawrie April 14, 2022 Dana Lawrie Rectangle The beliefs surrounding bounce-back culture puts so much unnecessary pressure on moms to lose the baby weight and get back to how they were pre-pregnancy. But the truth is, we never return to who or how we used to be. After forming and carrying a human being, our bodies will never be, look or feel the same. And that is OK. The fourth trimester is a healing process. Not a race, but a journey. So we should take more time and be more gentle with ourselves. This mama’s Instagram post reminds us of just that. Related: 10 truths about the fourth trimester View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dana Lawrie (@dana_lawrie) “The fourth trimester. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been here before, these days are still tough. I don’t think it gets easier each time. I know more of what to expect, sure. But that doesn’t lighten the gravity of it. The physical healing is a challenge all on its own. Add the emotional rollercoaster of shifting hormones, and sleep deprivation while trying to care for a new baby, and yourself. It’s safe to say, postpartum is a massive undertaking. Related: Beautiful photos celebrating postpartumThere’s this silent pressure to bounce back into regular life like nothing has happened. To adapt to life with this new little person while navigating unfamiliar territory, without skipping a beat. But that’s not the reality of it. At least not for me. A lot has happened, and I can’t bounce back to anything that was before. This isn’t a process to be rushed. It took 9 long, careful months to create this little person and it will take time to adapt to all that is new. Nothing about this should be described as “bouncing back”. We’re growing forward. Slowly. And giving ourselves the patience and grace that we deserve along the way❤️. ” Related Stories Postpartum Postpartum recovery is about so much more than weight loss Beauty & Style Postpartum Problems: Thinning hair Postpartum Postpartum doulas are the support system all new mothers need Categories: Motherly Stories, Postpartum Related articles Postpartum Scarlett Johansson reflects on postpartum life: ‘I was staring into the abyss like, what have I done?’ January 23, 2025 Postpartum This viral text is changing how we support moms who just had a baby February 4, 2025 News Kylie Kelce gets real about “severe baby blues” and the hardest parts of early motherhood January 14, 2025 News Reddit AITA: A mom told her friend not to bring her newborn to the party—was that the right call? January 7, 2025 News Jessie J shares the bittersweet reality of toddler motherhood: ‘People stop checking in on you as much’ December 17, 2024