Actress Gina Rodriguez recently opened up about her experience with childbirth and postpartum recovery. Speaking with Insider, the 38-year-old shared details of her labor experience and the process of gaining strength after childbirth.
The “Awake” actress gave birth to her first child, Charlie Ray, in March. During the labor process, she revealed that she was “pushing through the pain of contractions without an epidural” while also experiencing a painful leg. “It was really surreal. I had no mind-body connection,” she shared.
Despite the challenging experience, Gina is now on a path of healing and recovery. Her leg is healing on its own without any medical intervention, and she is attending gym classes and doing stretching exercises to help her body regain strength.
“I am slowly building up my strength and loving my body for what it did, and that’s helped,” she said. Gina added that there is often pressure on new mothers to quickly return to their pre-baby bodies, but that’s not one of her fitness goals.
“I don’t need my body to look the way it did. My body is new and it’s strong and it’s different,” Gina noted. “It’s life-giving and you have to have constant conversations with yourself so that you don’t go to negative spaces.”
Gina’s frank discussion about childbirth and postpartum recovery has been appreciated by many. Her positive attitude towards her body and her journey towards healing serves as an inspiration for new mothers who may feel pressure to “bounce back” quickly after childbirth.
Gina, who has also partnered with Orangetheory Fitness, is taking things at her own pace and focusing on building her strength and enjoying her post-baby body. Her refreshing perspective on postpartum recovery is a reminder that every woman’s journey is different and should be approached with self-love and grace.
