Published on May 2, 2018 | Last Updated on January 17, 2022

When I’m at the beach or pool, I’d rather feel comfortable than worry about my tummy after a couple cocktails or burger. I typically try to eat really healthy before a vacation then it’s a free for all once I get there. In my opinion that’s what a vacation is all about! With that being said I’m really particular about the fit of a swimsuit. I’m normally a size 6 but I’m holding onto some baby weight and currently a size 8-10. I’m 5’10” and have a long torso so sometimes it’s easier to hide the extra pounds!

We’re heading to our favorite place in Mexico today and I’m leaving any insecurities I have about my current body at home and plan to rock my mom bod! 🙂 During the majority of my pregnancy I felt prettier than ever before. I was so proud to carry Piper and loved my body even with the extra 40 plus pounds. I don’t think I would have known I gained that much if it wasn’t for my doctor visits. I weirdly didn’t feel “big.” After I gave birth I believed the misconception about the weight falling off while nursing. I lost about half of it the first few months but the rest is more difficult to lose. It’s crazy how hard I am on myself about my body four and a half months postpartum. Between keeping a child alive, running a business, trying to be a decent wife, friend, sister, daughter, etc, you’d think I could cut myself some slack, right?! I was doing the opposite. I was more self conscious than ever. Tearing myself down about how my thighs, stomach and arms looked.

I was talking to Ailee the other night about how I still wasn’t where I wanted to be at this point. She said “it takes nine months to gain it, so you have nine months to lose it.” I know it sounds silly but this really resinated with me. It was validation in some way that it’s okay not to be back in my pre-pregnancy jeans right away. It’s almost as if I let social media get the best of me. I started to believe what I see on the highlight reel of Instagram was normal. So I’m working on loving the body that gave me our sweet little girl and accepting my imperfections. And if Piper turns nine months and I still haven’t lost all the weight, that’s okay too. My body changed during pregnancy and it’s something I need to be proud of instead of tear apart. I’m not writing this for affirmation by any means but for anyone else putting too much stake in the comparison game of social media.

“Losing weight is not your life’s work, counting calories is not the call of your soul. You surely are destined for something much greater, much bigger than, shedding 20 pounds or tallying calories. What would happen if instead of worrying about what you had for breakfast, you focused on becoming comfortable with who you are as a person.”-Lisa Turner

After quite a bit trial and error, I found a handful of suits I feel great in at a comfortable price point. I normally don’t like to spend more than $50 per suit because I’m so hard on them. Between sitting on the side of the pool, sunscreen and normal wear, most my suits only last one summer.

PINK AND RED FRONT TIE SUIT

Even though this one has a lower cut, the band in between my boobs helps keep it in place so there aren’t any slips! The red bow hits at the right spot to cover my pooch. It’s $23 and my mom sewed cups into the lining for a little added protection. 🙂 I bought a size 10.

NAVY AND WHITE GINGHAM TANKINI

Let me be honest and say I’m basically flat chested now that I’m done nursing. It was good while it lasted! I definitely think this suit is best for someone with a smaller chest because of the low cut. I snagged this two piece during J. Crew’s 40% off sale making it more within my budget. I love the peplum to help disguise my postpartum tummy! I bought a large in both.

BLUE AND WHITE HALTER SUIT

I also shed a tear when I saw this suit was sold out but have to include it anyways in hopes it comes back in stock! It’s $45 and I’m wearing a size 8 in the above photo.

RED AND WHITE STRIPE RUFFLE SUIT

Clearly I have a thing for ruffles and stripes! The back on this suit is a little cheeky for someone like me with a not so small tush but it’s still really cute. This one is $51 and I’m wearing an XL. I always size up from Asos!

NAVY AND WHITE  STRIPE ONE SHOULDER

Let me preface this by saying the other items this retailer sells are kind of questionable but I LOVE this suit! The diagonal stripes are very flattering and I love the tiered ruffles. Plus it’s only $12. For size reference, I bought a large.