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by Reena Daruwalla, guest writer for Nancy Hayssen.com

I know I totally agree with Nancy’s Rock Hard Abs Gym Rant, posted here a few days ago. What I read in pregnancy books during both my pregnancies bears out the theories posited there. Women’s bodies are meant to have curves, they are meant to carry more fat, they need more reserves of fat, for the rigors of childbirth and the incredible pressure placed on the body creating and nurturing new life within our own bodies.

When a woman is pregnant she is often described as ‘glowing’; ever wonder why?

One reason for this is that increased and improved blood circulation improves the complexion. The body seems to be working at its optimum best at this time, hair looks thick and lustrous (I know that during both my pregnancies, even normal hair fall had ceased almost completely), and after the first months there is increased vigor and energy, and absolutely the BEST sex ever, at least in my experience.

The other reason is that a woman usually puts on some weight during her pregnancy, and this gives a more rounded appearance to the face, softening the lines and contours of the face. Childbirth can be incredibly physically stressful and the body needs a lot of extra reserves to cope with this. Therefore, a woman is designed by nature to carry some extra padding of weight all throughout life which is increased and reinforced during pregnancy. Breasts are palpably bigger, belly and hips visibly rounder.

If Mother Nature intended that a pregnant woman should put on some weight, she also worked out how a woman could get back into shape after childbirth. Apart from a couple of extra inches at the waist I am pretty much back to my pre-pregnancy size (and into my favorite pair of jeans). This was ensured by being active throughout my pregnancies: going for walks, doing normal stuff around the house and after childbirth, exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months and continuing till each of my girls was at least 18 months, and by starting my walks and normal activities as soon as possible.

While I am not advocating barefoot and perpetually pregnant, there are joys and pleasures of being a woman and womanly which altogether too many of us eschew!