Prev: National Eating Disorders Week & Find Your Voice in San Francisco,Ca
Next: Question about bananas
From: Aura Delorme on 11 Mar 2005 15:55
Hi Everyone,
I just found this group, well actually I was a member years ago. I suffered from Anorexia for years and fully recovered so I thought. I had my first child 3 months ago and am struggling badly with older impulses because I can't stand the way I look now. Is there anyone one else out there who feels this way after having a baby and suffered with an ED before? If so please contact me, I really need some support right now and I feel so guilty for being like this...after all I have a beautiful baby and shouldn't that be enough!?
Aura
From: patlyn3 on 12 Mar 2005 07:58
((Aura))
Please don't be so hard on yourself. You're going through a lot of changes right now & the ED is your old way of coping. I really struggled w/my ED after having a baby. You lose the ability to focus on you. Baby seems to come 1st. A real problem for me was body image. I used to have a flat stomach, now it's rounded/protruding & that really freaks me out--even now 3 yrs. later. Feel free to email me if you want to talk more. Really would urge you to try & work w/a therapist & dietician before the ED gets way out of hand. Your baby does need a healthy mom. Take care!
Hugs,
Lynette

"Aura Delorme" <aura.delorme(a)sympatico.ca> wrote in message news:pEnYd.29414$fW4.913346(a)news20.bellglobal.com...
Hi Everyone,
I just found this group, well actually I was a member years ago. I suffered from Anorexia for years and fully recovered so I thought. I had my first child 3 months ago and am struggling badly with older impulses because I can't stand the way I look now. Is there anyone one else out there who feels this way after having a baby and suffered with an ED before? If so please contact me, I really need some support right now and I feel so guilty for being like this...after all I have a beautiful baby and shouldn't that be enough!?
Aura
From: julia_d_1975 on 8 Apr 2005 01:04
Hi Aura,

(Love your name!)

Going through pregnancy is like one big trigger for anyone with any
kind of ED! I have a 2 year old, and made it through pregnancy and a
year of nursing while staying healthy in terms of the ED symptoms I
have had on and off for many years. (Ye olde binge/starve/exercise
bit...)

I do consider myself recovered because I can manage the ED that "you
have forever." Sure there are flare-ups, but never long enough to get
me way off track.

So having been there, here's what helped me the most...

1. I wasn't allowed to starve myself! It was a rule. I'd picture what
would happen to my newborn son if I didn't take care of myself. I also
breastfed for a year, so simply put, starving wasn't an option. Sounds
simplistic, but that's what I told myself when the urge arrived.

2. I'd tell myself "I can be anorexic again later on." This goes back a
bit to Rule 1, where I wans't allowed to be anorexic right now! In
fact, I'd usually "promise" myself to be anorexic later on just to get
myself through the moment. This gave me some satisfaction of "I can be
anorexic whenever I darn well please!" but it didn't send me into ED
hell.

3. TIME! Give yourself TIME. Whenever you feel fat and dispicable, just
tell yourself you will be at your normal weight again when the time is
right for you and your child. You will not be this way always -- right
now, you are doing GREAT GREAT GREAT for having a 3-month-old! Chances
are, in another 6 months, you'll be close to your fabulous self.

4. Remember your are sleep deprived and are not acting in your rational
mind. Accept that your emotions and ED urges will be there for a little
while more until you and your baby get into a good routine. Don't panic
over the urges; just see them for what they are: Reactions to stress
right now - stress that will pass when things get easier.

5. Exercise and pilates. Nothing fancy, but do what you can to help
your body recover and get back to the happy state you felt post-ED and
pre-pregnancy. Pilates is GREAT for your mid-section. Just a few
sessions and you'll feel like "normal" is within reach. Set up an
exercise schedule and stick with it -- no more, no less. I'd say 2,
maybe 3, workouts a week. That's it. The rest of your energy you'll
need to help your baby grow into a wonderful kid!

Well, that's what worked for me. As much as possible, just "postpone"
all the ED worries and body panic!! When possible, start getting back
into your post-ED / pre-pregnancy routine that worked for you before.

I got through the normal pregnancy weight gain, and by a year after my
son was born, I was back to my "normal" self. Plus, I could look back
and be TRULY proud of what I accomplished, all while managing to stay
healthy! Phew. It's not an easy feat, but well worth the effort.

Good luck, and keep posting.

- Julia




Aura Delorme wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
> I just found this group, well actually I was a member years ago. I
suffered from Anorexia for years and fully recovered so I thought. I
had my first child 3 months ago and am struggling badly with older
impulses because I can't stand the way I look now. Is there anyone one
else out there who feels this way after having a baby and suffered with
an ED before? If so please contact me, I really need some support right
now and I feel so guilty for being like this...after all I have a
beautiful baby and shouldn't that be enough!?
> Aura

 | 
Pages: 1
Prev: National Eating Disorders Week & Find Your Voice in San Francisco,Ca
Next: Question about bananas