After giving birth, Ashley Archambault found herself grappling with an overwhelming 100 pounds of weight gain. In her journey toward regaining her pre-pregnancy body, she realized that her fixation on weight loss overshadowed the precious moments with her newborn son.
Reflecting on her experience, Archambault expressed regret over prioritizing her weight over her child’s early development. Initially, she weighed 80 pounds more than before her pregnancy. This fixation on losing weight became an emotional distraction, pulling her away from enjoying the fleeting moments with her infant son.
Unpacking the Struggles of New Motherhood
During her pregnancy, Archambault indulged in cravings and faced challenges like stress eating and being on bed rest, which contributed to her significant weight gain. Once her son was born, she found herself surprised by the additional weight, believing much of it would simply be “baby weight.”
“I gained exactly 100 pounds during my pregnancy,” she noted. “I felt completely overwhelmed by that.” Prior to becoming a mother, she had maintained a stable weight, only fluctuating by about ten pounds. The transition to losing 80 pounds instead of a manageable ten caused her to spiral into an obsessive focus on weight loss.
Following a C-section, Archambault was in pain but determined to recover by walking. She committed to taking her son in a stroller along with their dog for two to three long walks each day, covering around two miles each time. In her quest to burn extra calories, she incorporated additional stair climbing into her routine. This frantic approach to exercise left little room for the joys of motherhood.
The Emotional Toll of Weight Loss Pressure
In her pursuit of a healthier diet, Archambault became overly fixated on low-calorie meals, often opting for vegetables and lean proteins. Her meals consisted of simple options like tuna on crackers and cabbage “steak” with Sriracha. Upon reflection, she recognized the unnecessary pressure she placed on herself.
“I wish that I had been more solely focused on enjoying my son as an infant instead of putting so much effort into dieting and exercise,” she said. This self-imposed stress diverted her attention from bonding with her son during those critical early months.
With time, Archambault began to realize that embracing playtime with her son might have provided a meaningful way to stay active without the added pressure of weight loss. “While it would have likely taken longer, I would have had a huge stressor removed from my life,” she explained.
As she pondered the past, Archambault envisioned a different approach for a potential second pregnancy, aiming to maintain healthy habits throughout. “If I could do it all over again, that’s what I would do,” she stated, acknowledging the impact of her weight gain on her early motherhood experience.
Ultimately, she came to understand that celebrating her body for bringing her son into the world was far more important than the numbers on a scale.
Finding Balance and Enjoying Motherhood
By the time her son turned two, Archambault had successfully lost most of the weight she had gained. Although she was satisfied with her progress, she began to recognize the moments she had missed while fixated on her appearance.
“I took the realization as a lesson and began to run around more with my son and make cupcakes and other baked treats with him on the weekends,” she shared.
Her relationship with exercise and food eventually stabilized, allowing her to appreciate motherhood in a much more fulfilling way. Archambault’s story serves as a reminder that in the whirlwind of new motherhood, cherishing time with a child often outweighs the pursuit of physical ideals.
She concluded, “He really did grow up so fast, and I’m sorry that I didn’t realize enjoying him as a baby was the most important thing at the time.”
This personal account was originally featured in Business Insider.
