When a baby is born, the whole family’s attention instantly shifts from mother to child. Meanwhile, as the new mother goes about life, sleep-deprived and with a recovering body, she is unwittingly bombarded with images of slender models, advertisements promising weight loss miracles and celebrities back in slinky gowns mere weeks after giving birth.
For a new mum, the effect is often demoralising, negatively impacting her mental well-being at a time when she is already very vulnerable.
“We tend to be at our healthiest during pregnancy because that’s when we focus on our well-being for the baby’s sake, but then tend to let ourselves go due to exhaustion and overwhelm following the birth,” wellness coach and holistic nutritionist Corinne Zaffarese Elbourne says.
“It’s also easy to feel bad about your body when there is so much noise around you telling you what you should look like.”
Through MIVERBO, her wellness programme, Zaffarese Elbourne helps women regain control over their bodies and health. Her own experience with childbirth gave her a deeper insight into the psychological struggles women face during this delicate period.
“The steps I followed are the same ones I recommend to my clients,” she shares.
“In a nutshell, I prioritised eating balanced meals and started exercising gently as soon as I had the go-ahead from my gynaecologist and physiotherapist.”