Any of you felt shameful of your pregnancy body and didn't like posting up pictures of yourself? I have a friend who is having a hard time adjusting with her new shape and cannot come to terms with it. How can I encourage her to embrace the changes?

We are 26 weeks pregnant. My wife has similar inhibitions. Maybe, you could ask your friend to think about three things a) what does she feel about it b) what is she doing about it c) how is her support system behaving a) How you feel I think it is absolutely natural to feel a little less than pleased with your body when things change so rapidly after the first trimester. Pregnancy is choosy when it comes to adding the glow and glamour to mums-to-be. This feeling is especially reinforced when your BFF is pregnant or has been recently pregnant. Having body images issues are more common that people care to admit. It helps to understand and concentrate on what is your most prominent feeling about your current state. b) what you would do about it. This is more important and would influence the state of mind during the pregnancy and after delivery. Most effective way to deal with it is to document the weight, possibly the size of the uterus (with relation to the belly button), and the interval between the Braxton Hicks on a weekly basis. In short, turn it into a science project. This will help you track your pregnancy, and would feed to the talking points with your Obstetrician. Bodies are surprisingly flexible when it comes to getting back to shape. Light exercise as recommended by the doctor and a good exercise regime post delivery would get you back you your shape in no time. In addition, you get to flaunt your kid! c) Support system It is important, now more than ever, to have a good support system. Even so, inexperienced people are a bit hesitant when it comes to extending help when it comes to pregnancy. This is mainly due to the fact that they do not know what to do! My advice is to talk about all possible stuff with your partner, family members, friends, even your own doctor. This is the most beautiful phase in your life, and you have every right to be heard! To sum it up, understand your feelings well, don't beat yourself up but make plans to get back in shape as soon as you can after delivery, and recruit listeners and hand holders if you already haven't.