It's summer and everyone seems to be sporting a new tattoo and matching mom-daughter, mom-son tattoos are supposedly the new cool trendy sign of bondedness and unity. I'm glad not to be too left out of the loop since at least one of my four kids has sweetly suggested that we get one. I've considered. I really have. My honest answer, however, is that my legs are already tatted up in a most individual way. My left leg is a particularly great work of art. I used to hide it when possible, shyly avoiding clothes that might draw attention to the intricately decorated canvas of spider and ropey purple-blue varicose veins.
More recently, though, I've decided to share the artistry of motherhood that life has gifted me, if not flaunting it, I can at least wear it dignified and proud.
When you're pregnant your uterus grows and puts pressure on the large inferior vena cava on your body's right side. This increases pressure on your legs. The blood vessels that are already working against gravity, returning blood from your extremities to your heart, swell and protude. Sometimes they are less visible or disappear after your pregnancy, but more often they stay patterned on your skin as a forever reminder that you are and will always be different after having a baby.
If you have just one child you may not get to sport off much, but after four, believe you me, you have bragging rights. You have living tattoos to show off for the rest of your life, a permanent scrapbook of memories physically awarded you for your bravery and strength for carrying those precious little ones inside you to birth.
Thus, my varicose veins are my personal tattoos, my scars, the marks of motherhood that remind me every morning and night as I dress and undress the huge sacrifice I paid. I consider my scarred legs beautiful reminders that it was so worth it in the end, to blood ink my legs in order to bring my four unique daughters and sons into this world. I'm celebrating my scars now and what really matters.
#realmoms #worthit #varicoseveins #motherhood #inkedlegs #bravery #scars #postparto #postpartum #maternidad #whatreallymatters #celebratingmyscars #thedopesttattoo #tattoo
Your vulnerability is
embellished with your truth.
Wear it proudly.
- Harpreet M Dayal
