The famous 'baby bump'
Finally, the adorable little baby boy was born. And do you know what many of the media companies began to talk about? No, not his name. Not his birthdate. Not the hospital bill, either. Rather, they focussed on this one minor topic: how would Kate lose her 'baby bump'?
SERIOUSLY? The woman just had a baby! Do we really need to know about her baby bump? It is a well-known fact that when you get pregnant, you gain weight. You need to gain enough weight so that both you and your baby will be healthy. Yes, it might not be exciting to see this weight go on. Bur reality is, most women do not really care because this weight is what is making their baby healthy. After they deliver, most women lose the weight with a little bit of work. But it is not enough of an issue to discuss publicly on the media. Let me repeat: Kate just had a baby; therefore, she has gained weight. I am sure the first thing on her mind is now how to take care of her baby - not how to lose the weight that she has gained during her pregnancy.
This is just sad, and it goes to show us how much our society today is focussed on weight and body image. It is not wrong to want to lose the weight after pregnancy, but that is what most people in the media seemed to care about following the baby's birth. Mnay women found this disappointing because the famous 'baby bump' is a part of pregnancy. It is not the mother's priority to lsoe the weight, nor is it adbolsutely the end of the world if the mother has a visible bump. In fact, all women will noticeably have this bump for some time after. And why not? It is a reminder of their pregnancy, not to mention a NORMAL part of the life cycle!
It is sad that our world puts this much focus on weight and bodies. Some reporters even lashed out and said that Kate was being unprofessional by going into the public without losing the weight first. How rude! The bump after pregnancy is not something to be ashamed of! Nor is it something to be loathed. It is normal, and quite insignificant for that matter. To mother's everywhere, let me make this message clear: BABY BUMPS ARE NORMAL! There is no shame in having one! It is really sad how the media has nothing better to focus on but Kate's little bump right now. I can think of a lot of other more important and news-worthy things to talk about. It goes to show you how much the media affects and influences what we hear about in the news, as well as what we as humans focus on. What if the media started to praise Kate for going into public with her bump and being an excellent role model for all mothers? Now that would be nice. But the truth is, even if some minor companies do this, most will not. Why? Because they think that they will make a better story if they can talk about her baby bump, then get some 'expert' to talk on the show about how to lose a baby bump, then advertise about a diet/excercise program that helps you lose the bump, etc. It is all about the money and viewers. The media, sadly, knows how to make money and business. And as long as they believe that weight loss and body image is so important, that is all we will hear about in the news.
What can we do about it? I suppose just being aware is sufficient. Be aware that the media is doing this. Without us noticing, they are programming us (so to say) to pay attention to what THEY want us to pay attention to. They are filling our ears and minds with what THEY believe is important and true. They aer dictating what we care about, what we talk about, and how we think/feel about things. Do not be a mindless viewer or reader. Be informed and stay alert. Baby bumps are normaly. Weight gain and weight loss are usually normal parts of life. There is more to life than weight and our bodies.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/07/25/kate-middletons-post-baby-bump-sparks-debate-over-what-normal-women-look-like-after-giving-birth/
