Bikini Blues: how about bathing suit phobia?

When I read about the blog blast over at the Parent Bloggers Network called Bikini Blues, I blacked out.

You see, I have issues with bathing suit shopping and the overwhelming sense of dread that hits me, is directly proportional the my drop in blood pressure - which combined with simultaneous brain contractions from sudden flashbacks involving fitting rooms and painful wedgies - makes hitting the floor really desirable.

I tried bathing suit shopping about six months post-partum which proves how absolutely delusional I obviously was in the early parenting days. During my pregnancy I put on at least 30 kilos (65 lbs) and due to my sloth like ways, that excess weight took it's time migrating to wherever blubber goes. And trust me, this didn't happen before that 24 week mark.

But I was out with a new neighbourhood mommy friend who was going to Greece for a month to take her new baby to see family. She was an athlete, incredibly fit and had basically returned to pre-baby size in that period of time. Somehow I didn't hate the woman and went along with her to look for a new suit. Why not? I hadn't bought a new suit in five years so I figured I deserved a new one to wear at those upcoming baby swim classes.

I wish the shopping trip never happened. Seeing oneself under fluorescent lights in a three way fitting room mirror was enough to send me to the doughnut shop for some medicinal sugar treatment.

Anyhow, two years have passed since that incident and I'm still sporting that same old bathing suit. But recent fits of healthy lifestyle combined more sleep have made for less sugar cravings which has lead to those last pesky pounds melting away. Which means I think I can finally handle shopping for a swimsuit again without having to seek solace in sugar. No more traumatic fitting room sessions would be a very nice way to start the summer.

Mind you, I must remember to book that leg and bikini wax in order to ward off any rumours of sasquatch sightings in Toronto.

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by BOCA.