Navigating Body Image in Pregnancy

Pregnancy is something I’ve wanted for a long time. Yet, even with the excitement of carrying life, I knew that watching my body change would be a challenge. After years of working to feel comfortable in my own skin, I worried about how an ever-changing body would impact my self-image. Some days, it still feels like an uphill battle. And honestly? Some days, the mirror just feels like a big liar.

When bloating hit early in the first trimester and my jeans stopped fitting far sooner than I expected, my mind spiraled. I stood in my closet, staring at clothes that no longer felt like mine. Nothing fit the same. Everything about my body was changing at a rapid pace, and I felt unprepared. Even the ways I enjoyed moving my body in exercise brought extreme nausea.

But in the midst of these thoughts, I kept coming back to this truth: our bodies are capable of amazing things. To think that as women, we have been designed to facilitate the creation of life is a miracle. And of course, miracles don’t come without sacrifice. My body was stretching, growing, and making room for something far greater than my personal comfort.

Even outside of pregnancy, our bodies are gifts from the Lord—capable, resilient, and worthy of love. Every stretch mark, every shift, every ache is a testament to something sacred.

Instead of focusing on how my body is changing, I’m choosing to focus on why it’s changing. With each passing day, I remind myself:

• My body is not broken; it is building.
• My worth is not measured by my size but by my Creator.
• My reflection does not define me; God’s truth about me does.

And I know this journey doesn’t end at birth. Postpartum will bring its own challenges—healing, adjusting, and learning to love a body that has done so much. The world may push the idea of "bouncing back," but I’m choosing to move forward. I want to embrace this season with grace, gratitude, and an understanding that beauty isn’t found in perfection—it’s found in purpose. And right now, my body’s purpose is one of the most beautiful things I could ever imagine.

If you’re struggling with body image, you are not alone. It’s okay to feel the tension between gratitude and discomfort. But don’t let the mirror tell you who you are—let God’s truth be your reflection.

✨ You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

✨ You are enough, just as you are.

✨ You are carrying life, and that is beautiful.

Let’s be gentle with ourselves. Let’s speak truth over our bodies. And let’s walk this journey with grace, one day at a time.