To all the new (or new again) mom’s worrying about sex and intimacy after giving birth, I see you.

I understand the fears about your new body.

The poochy belly you now carry in the front that vaguely resembles a fanny pack. The stretch marks that somehow look worse after pregnancy (seriously though, how does that happen?). The love handles that exist no matter how stretchy the yoga pants are.

The fact that your new body sweats. A lot! And your deoderant stops working around 2 pm every day.

The aggravation that your boobs are enormous which sounds great in theory except that they leak uncontrollably, they don’t fit in anything except a nursing bra which is the opposite of sexy and most importantly, since they are used to feed your baby all day you cannot even fathom using them for anything even remotely sexual at the moment!

Those aren’t the only things that might be different though. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about, ladies. Yup, I’m talking about your lady parts. Sigh, but it’s true. Our vaginas (vulvas) don’t always go back to they way were before either. Even if we didn’t need any type of repairs after birth, some things just don’t look the same.

I see you. I understand you. I was you.

The truth is, I still am some days and my youngest is 3.5 years old!

Our bodies go through so much during pregnancy and birth-vaginal or cesarean, our bodies are just different when it’s over.

And it is completely normal. All of it, I promise!

Some day the poochy belly might go away, or at least get smaller. And the stretch marks will fade, I promise!

The sweating and the horrific B.O. goes away too, after just a couple months usually. It won’t last forever though, I promise!

Your boobs won’t leak uncontrollably forever and there IS a regular bra in your future, I promise!

Most importantly, this new body of yours…it is beautiful. Love handles, B.O., leaky boobs and all, I promise!