It's okay to think about yourself after pregnancy (and not just the baby).

By CHELSEA THOMAS

I like to have my cake and eat it too. I then like to have another slice. I was doing the cake thing at a birthday party alongside a number of new and second-time mums when the ever-popular subject of losing baby weight cropped up.

“Boobs, bum and tummy,” said one mother of a 5 month old. She was referring to the bits of her post baby body that had completely lost shape after her precious angel was born. We all nodded aggressively, agreeing with her list, as we stuffed more cake into our mouths.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Nancy Ganz. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

The subject quickly turned to fast solutions for losing baby weight and the exhaustion in getting our ‘bodies back’. As if our bodies had booked a one way ticket to Barbados, without our permission.

I glanced around the circle of beautiful mums. There was no quick or easy way to lose the extra kg’s that had crept on very slowly and steadily. But we were all in pretty good shape. Fit and healthy.

The new mums were all wearing maternity jeans or elastic-waisted harem pants (that are actually very ‘in’ right now for women of any size). But no one had dared jump back into their super skinny denim jeans, just yet.

One of the more confident mums (three bambinos under her belt) casually walked into our cake-eating congregation and lifted her top, right up to her boobs.

I stopped chewing (not for long) to really focus on what I was being shown.

“You gotta know how to cheat, girls,” said Mum of Three, baring her glorious post baby body to the group.

No shame.

She was really proud.

She was boasting about her Nancy Ganz shapewear.

“I would not get dressed without it,” she said.

Until this point, I’d only thought of shapewear as something you purchase when you’re in a bridal party or the one getting married. I wore a full Nancy Ganz under my silk wedding dress – no bra or underwear! I looked like Mrs Doubtfire when I stripped off on my wedding night.

Now, the shapewear I own sits patiently at the very back of my underwear drawer until that special occasion arises where I desperately need the effects of a piece of super stretchy, but firm material that smooth down, perks up and draws in all my bumpy bits (thanks post baby body!)

But Mum of Three was pulling on her shapewear every day. She had 8 different types and they all had different purposes.

I fought the urge to get my iPhone out and fill the notes section with which ones you should wear for which occasions.

I love it when I have epiphanies at kids’ parties. It happens more than you would think.

We were all intrigued by her dedication to wearing these “muffinminimisers” and “tummy-tuckers” day in, day out. She was very forward in showing us what her tummy looked like with and without the shapewear.

I was impressed at the results. And her dedication.

I’d now consider popping them on a little more regularly during daylight hours, especially following the birth of my number two that’s just around the corner.

Mum of Three said the Nancy Ganz “Suckerinerer” underbust jumpsuit was her favourite and she couldn’t live without it.

She enjoyed being a half size smaller and the feeling of throwing on a t-shirt and having it sit so smoothly (even though the t-shirt wasn’t that special) made her happy. And obviously, confident.

Mum of Three had definitely found a way to have her cake and eat it too.

Chelsea Thomas is the Founder of www.iheartbargains.com.au, a fashion website dedicated to cool fashion under $100.

Nancy Ganz is the original shapewear brand, founded in 1990 in the USA by Nancy herself. Today, Nancy Ganz is the number one shapewear brand in Australasia, designed in Australia for Australian & New Zealand women. You can shop online for Nancy Ganz shapewear and swimwear with free shipping Australia-wide, and at Myer, David Jones & leading retailers. In NZ, Nancy Ganz is available at Farmers. We don’t mind if you refer to your Nancy Ganz as your ‘suckerinerer’, ‘tummytucker’, or any other language you’ve developed!

Nancy Ganz are offering Mamamia readers an exclusive offer of 30% off sitewide! Just use coupon code MIA30 at checkout. Offer ends 11.59pm Sunday 24^th November.  See the Nancy Ganz website here for all the T&Cs.