Body Confident Mums

You don’t need to know the numbers on the scale …

Tag or share with the people who need to know…

So you've started your Christmas shopping and your kids are wanting Barbie dolls...
Listen to our own Dr Zali Yager to help you feel better about the impact of Barbie on body image.

Barbie dolls and body image We chat to Dr Zali Yager an expert in body image, mental health and wellbeing about popular toy Barbie.

New research has found that pics on Instagram rarely depict the reality of the weeks and months post-birth…

We agree that they are few and far between- but the pics we do see can help to manage our expectations about postpart bodies…

Do you seek out more realistic pics on IG? What do you want to see more of?

Post-pregnancy body positivity? On Instagram, it’s hard to find After analysing 600 images tagged on Instagram, Australian researchers found stretch marks, bellies and scars were rarely in the picture

Do you feel like you need or want to improve what your kids are eating?

Here's our top tip...

Instead of focusing on what to remove, focus on fitting in more fruit and vegetables first.

"Let's see how many more colours we can get on our plate" or "Do you have a rainbow in your tummy yet?"

Are you a parent of a 2-6 year old child? Do you want to promote positive body image and healthy eating patterns in your child?

If you answered yes... then please sign up for our ONLINE workshop series designed to help you develop positive body image and healthy eating patterns in your child. You will walk away with practical strategies for the whole family to try, evidence-based resources, and some fun activities to do with your pre-schooler/s.

A range of important topics will be covered, including:
what is body image and why is it important?
promoting self-esteem
dealing with social influences and teasing
promoting healthy eating
promoting healthy weight
These sessions will be hosted by Bronwyn Wood, Health Psychologist, and Olivia Donati Beech, Provisional Psychologist.

Link in BIO for more information including dates, time, and cost.

DM with any questions :)

If you know someone in Sydney- please make sure they know about this!! And Sydney people, please come along to this special screening of Embrace Kids!

Why?
1) Because this film is incredible!
2) This particular Screening is a fundraiser for and
3) You get to meet BCM Mama and Taryn Brumfitt from
4) You can get your Embrace Kids book signed,
5) You even get free popcorn!

When: Saturday 3rd September, 11 am
Where: Hoyts Broadway
Who: Kids 9 +, parents, grandparents & teachers!
(and anyone else who needs a boost right now!)

This is also your chance to explore the beautiful campaign from and see the .tyler styling hub in action.

🤩book your tickets today
💌share the love and send this to your Sydney friends!

https://www.broadwaysydney.com.au/whats-on/events/embrace-kids

How are you- Really?? Ever answered 'fine' but wondered if you are actually doing ok?

This University-approved survey will tell you!

and you can help contribute to the scientific evidence around matrescence, motherhood, and wellbeing!

You are eligible to take part if you:
- Are a Mother, aged 18+ (biological/adoptive/foster)
- have at least one child younger than 5 years.
- Living in Australia, the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, or New Zealand.
- Are able to read English.

This will take 20-30 minutes of your time, and there’s also 2 x $100AUD vouchers up for grabs.

--------> use this link:
https://federation.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cOX5RLCEDzqRoa2

I only advertise the good studies here - and this one is excellent!

Hard relate…

Seeing all of this footage brings back memories…
Memories of being so worried about ‘being a bad mum’ because my kid wasn’t compliant, and didn’t seem to listen let alone do what I said.

Fast forward 5 years and things are better.

We learned to pick our battles.
To care less about other people’s opinions, and
To recognise these traits as the gifts they are.

I hope Kate has this perspective already,
And got a cup of tea and a quiet lie down after this past weekend!

Kate, I have been you One mom's take on Kate Middleton and Prince Louis at the Platinum Jubilee.

Another great exploration on this topic featuring our own Dr Zali Yager in First Five Years...

https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au/lifestyle/managing-body-image-after-having-a-baby

Managing body image after having a baby Once you’ve managed the mental and physical hurdle of giving birth, many feel a rush to get back the body we once had, while also being grateful for everything

We want our kids to feel safe and included in sport.
We signed them up to help them be healthy and active- and to have fun!

Over at the Body Confident Collective we are finalising some recommendations for sports coaches and clubs to create spaces where all kids feel welcomed and included in sport, and that helps to build more positive body image.

But we need YOU to get the word out!
Only YOU can help us reach all of the sports organisations and clubs in Australia, and around the world (hey, we've got big dreams!)

So, if you can help pass these on to your kid's sports clubs, and you want to be the first to know when our work is ready for the world, please sign up for the Body Confident Collective email list! Top link in bio...

(Oh and comment/ DM us if you have any bright ideas that can help us reach more kids!)

Olympic swimmer, Mum, podcaster, and all-round amazing human Libby Trickett is working with us and we are *so excited* for the amazingness she brings to this project

Great article from The Feed SBS

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/article/its-torture-the-women-who-are-told-theyre-too-big-for-ivf/957oc0071

'It's torture': The women who are told they’re too big for IVF Should women be turned away from fertility clinics because of their weight? Current guidelines say yes, but are they backed by science?

Some great phrases to use when talking about Christmas foods and feasts here…

This time of year can be full of what we call "diet talk" or "body talk" and it often happens at social events involving food. It also can be in front of children or even said to children for example "make sure you choose this (name of a food) because it's healthy". This talk is not helpful when you're trying to take a body positive and neutral approach around food and feeding. It can cause guilt, confusion and can just take the joy out of eating for all of us. This blog has some helpful tips to navigate this talk https://www.health.tas.gov.au/healthykids/blog/what_would_happen_if_we_took_the_word_healthy_off_the_table

Image: a green tablecloth spread with plates of food to self serve from. Including strawberries, sausage rolls, bliss balls, blue berries and mini pizzas. A child is using tongs to serve themselves.

BCM mama Zali is conducting some research to find out more about the ways that shopping makes us feel about our body image…

We would love to hear more about your experiences of shopping online and in-store in order to advocate for more inclusive practice.

You are eligible if you are:
-over 18
-Living anywhere
-Speak English Fluently

Complete this one-time, anonymous, 15-20 minute questionnaire here: https://bit.ly/retailbodies

New resource for parents of teens (relevant for age 9 and up). With contributions from our own Dr Zali Yager, this is a great evidence- informed resource.
Register now for free access!!

Look after yourselves mamas

If you need connection or immediate support, the Sonder Gidget Perinatal Support Centre can help.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Immediate, free, 24/7 specailist support is available through the Sonder app. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
www.gidgetperinatalsupportcentre.org.au

Ok mamas, listen up 📣 Research like this with women is rare and important- we need your input!

Here is your chance to contribute to new knowledge around how body image interacts with health

Link to participate is: https://tinyurl.com/3e8fpfzz

Researchers at Deakin University and The Cairnmillar Institute want to understand levels of psychological wellbeing among Australian women, including how they feel about their body image, sexual functioning, and quality of life.

If you are:
-over 18,
-an Australian resident, and
-identify as a woman, we would like to hear from you.

This is a 20-minute online survey.
Participation is voluntary and completely anonymous.

We would greatly appreciate if you would consider participating!

Survey link: https://tinyurl.com/3e8fpfzz

Check out one of our latest research studies for mums and feel free to participate if you are interested/eligible 🙂

CAN YOU HELP? RESEARCH PROJECT ABOUT BODIES AFTER BABIES | Researchers from Flinders University are looking for mums to participate in a new online program and make a difference!

Want to help? You need to be a mum with at least one child under the age of 5, and be willing to complete questionnaires and three online writing exercises.

All participants also go in the draw to win a $40 Gift Voucher!

Find out more: https://nsm.pub/3wVRe9Z

Great article by Ginger Gorman featuring tips from the team, and our colleague Fiona Sutherland.

How do you teach kids body positivity when you don't have it? - ABC Everyday When Ginger's daughters started talking about

New research has found that mothers of 0-5 year old children were more likely to engage in more physical activity if they appreciated their bodies.

This adds to a growing consensus in the research- body image is a key factor in motivating physical activity and achieving positive physical and mental health outcomes.

This is the opposite of what people expect- There is a misconception that we have to dislike our bodies a little bit in order to be motivated enough to engage in physical activity- it's just not the case...

People who are exercising for aesthetic reasons (as opposed to health reasons) are more likely to drop out in a much shorter time frame.

Here is the reference for our work- DM us if you would like the full paper!

Raspovic, Hart, Yager, & Prichard (2021). Body image profiles and exercise behaviours in early motherhood. A latent profile analysis. Journal of Health Psychology

"I I share this because 5 years ago when I saw my postpartum body, I felt shame. I felt like I needed to tuck it and hide it away so no one would be uncomfortable or disgusted. 5 years ago I saw my body as a weakness. Now, my body is my strength.

Now I share it because I’m proud of it. It’s remarkable how our bodies can grow and stretch but never break. I share this because this is postpartum and this is what I would’ve needed to see 5 years ago. I love what my body is capable of. Remember, your body is made to stretch, and bend, and grow. You are beautiful, your body is beautiful."

📸:

Dear postpartum body: I want to thank you for growing and supporting my baby. http://m.mother.ly/PR9ygJd

'This is motherhood': The photos you rarely see on social media

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-09/motherhood-project-captures-real-experience-of-being-new-mum/100125224

'This is motherhood': The photos you rarely see on social media When social media got this Brisbane photographer and mother of five down about herself after pregnancy, she set about trying to change that for other women.

Ok mamas, let’s hold off the guilt this year!

👉🏽 Swipe for your pep talk!!

Kids spending some time with the grandparents these holidays?? 🤞??

Check out BCM Mama Dr Laura Hart on podcast wherever you get your podcasts

Mums of teens and tweens might be interested in this talk!

Body Confident Families with Dr Zali Yager: Free Webinar The Parents’ Website Webinar Series returns for 2021 in this free talk with Dr Zali Yager on how to promote positive body image for tweens and teens.

We are looking for three lucky Mums to trial our new program that utilises narrative therapy to improve body image. ⁠
⁠
This is a very early stage pilot, so you get to work 1:1 with our fabulous psychologist Abbi through our four part program of weekly one-on-one sessions to help you uncover and understand your relationship with your body. ⁠
⁠
As a part of this project, we will co-create a digital story that we will use in order to educate midwives and health professionals around body image in pregnancy and postpartum- so it's a win for you and a win for us! ⁠
⁠
Please PM any questions you have, or click straight through the link below to register your interest and give us a bit of background information to help us get to know you.⁠
⁠
At this stage, we are focussing on Mums in Australia, but we are open to talking to Mums in Europe as well if you are out there! ⁠

https://forms.gle/bKevqHNuNab2Ro7k8

Happy Friday Mamas!

We talk a lot about role modelling positive body image here at Body Confident Mums ...

Thanks to Beanstalk Mums, I had the opportunity to write about this in longer-than-an-instagram-caption form this week!

Check it out here: https://beanstalkmums.com.au/role-modelling-body-confidence-children/

It's my 8th Mamaversary! (we should definitely make this a thing- with presents!)

But what a journey these past 8 years have been!

Pregnant with my first, I thought that life would go on as normal, that I could just try as hard as I did in my career at parenting and have the same outcomes, and that everything about having kids would be joyful and oh-so fulfilling!

You guessed it, these very high expectations led to a very big crash. I didn't know about the concept of matrescence (like adolescence- the transition to becoming a mother) then, but I sure do now. It's a cracking open of all that you were before, and a building up of a new person- one that, for me, now realises that she can't control everything, that slowing down sometimes can be helpful in managing aaaall the things, and that other people's opinions about your parenting don't matter as much as the way your kid smiles at his cake (store bought muffins with candles stuck into them!).

Experiencing body image issues after birth of my first and then the twins, Feeling like such a failure, and searching for aaaaalll of the answers made me want to be there for other mums. When Jack was four, the other BCM Mamas and I got together in a playground and put together a plan to fill some of the epic research gaps in terms of what we know about mums and their body image and mental health- particularly outside of the first year. AND to talk about it on social media so that we can translate that research knowledge out to the world and professional practice.

But really? this all started the day my tiny boy landed in my arms, and changed my life forever...

Who spent some time at the beach/by the pool over the last few weeks??

We’ve just got back from our camping holiday and I couldn’t help but notice how awesome it was to be surrounded by so many diverse bodies in real life, rather than the perfect images that haunt us from social media and magazines ...

Comment to share what you were thinking about...

And I now you had to be thinking something while you were standing around in your swimmers pretending to be impressed in response to ‘Mum, watch this!!!!!!’’