3 under 3: Mummy feels like 'me' again

Amy Condon is a mum to 3 kids, who are all under 3! Yes, you heard us right. Each week she tells us all about the ups and downs of bringing up 3 children so close in age. This installment is about her getting back into her pre-pregnancy clothes...

'This was a truly momentous week. Yes, the twins are getting in the swing of playgroup and loving their big girl beds, and M has graduated from the odd step to full on toddling across the room. But that's not it. I only grabbed them in desperation when I couldn't find my usual comfy pair, and sucked everything in, in preparation for not being able to breathe. I pulled up the zip and... They fit perfectly. Yes, almost 11 months since I gave birth to my third child, I'm back in my pre-pregnancy jeans! Any woman who's had a baby knows what a wondrous day this is. After months of being Mummy, I found a bit of me again.

Of course, if I'm honest, there's a slight bulge on over the waistline where once resided a flat tummy I took for granted. There's some crêpey skin, some silvery stretchmarks and the tell-tale shelf from the C-section I had to have with the twins. Other parts of me are changed too. My ribcage has never recovered from having a twin stuck under it for months, the cleavage isn't quite as impressive as it once was, and the once-toned dancer's legs now wobble in a dance all of their own. I'll never truly get my old figure back. But then I don't really want it. It makes me laugh now to think of how the 19-year-old me used to worry about her weight and agonise over every inch of fat on her size-8 frame. What would she think if she saw me in the mirror? The 35-year-old me sees that reflection for what it is. A body that's given birth to three bright, beautiful girls. A body that I have to drag through some days, yes, but that still gets me there. It's not just my body that's changed, it's me.

I'm not going to pretend that reflection doesn't sometimes make me wince. There are lumps and bumps that I really wish weren't there. But, with the girls a bit older and babysitters on hand, I'm finally back into the dance and Pilates classes I used to love. And even if I don't shift those last few pounds, who cares? My husband doesn't seem to notice my newfound flaws, and my girls couldn't care less which bits of mummy wiggle as she dances, as long as she's joining in the fun. I used to practically hyperventilate at the thought of leaving the house without make-up, and didn't own a pair of flat shoes that weren't for running in. These days, I live in my trainers, and spent a good half-hour searching for mascara when my husband and I had an anniversary night out. It does feel fantastic when I dig out the lippy and put on a posh dress to venture out with adults, but most days, I'm happy to be scruffy old mummy. Well, scruffy old mummy in a lovely pair of skinny jeans.'

Amy's other blog posts...

• Amy's next blog - 3 under 3: Separation anxiety
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• Amy's previous blog - 3 under 3: Big girls don't cry
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• All of Amy's blogs