Beautiful Photos That Celebrate The Power Of Postpartum Bodies
To be honest, we sort of hate the term “post-baby body.” It puts so much emphasis on this one physical aspect of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. In actuality, the mental and emotional recovery is so much more important! But we get it – people focus on what they can see. And what they see is the physical transformation. The growing belly, the postpartum fluctuations, the stretchmarks and belly pooch. We see them, and here at Mommyish, we happen to find them absolutely beautiful. So much so that we wanted to celebrate these amazing post-baby bodies as they should be celebrated every single day.
Having a baby is a remarkable thing. Growing a life inside of you, bringing it out into the world. Nourishing that life in the early days and weeks. Giving so much of yourself to this new little being. We’re sort of conditioned to believe that our recovery should happen overnight. That we should leave the hospital looking like we did before we got pregnant. But for the vast majority of us, that isn’t going to happen. For many of us, our post-baby bodies will likely never look like they did pre-baby! And that is OK. No, scratch that. That is FANTASTIC. Because these bodies did an insanely cool thing. And we should honor them and love them as much as we do the little people they created.
Your body is just that – a body. It is not who you are. It does not define you. Post-baby bodies just showcase how strong we are.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BziaDFMAZ_u/
@Mamanicoledavis shared this awesome photo on Instagram. But it’s the caption that really brings it home. She says, “Don’t forget that your body is just a shell for your soul”. We give too much time and thought to the outside, and not enough to the inside. Your body is beautiful, all bodies are, but it’s your soul and heart that may one day change the world. And it’s your soul and heart that make YOU who you are. The stretchmarks and extra skin just add a little flavor, is all.
That first 24 hours is wild.
https://www.instagram.com/p/But4BoegM3V/
@Candb_fit has shared so much of her journey on Instagram, from pregnancy (one with twins!) fitness. In this shot from after she had her daughter, she sums up that first 24 hours really well. Amanda says, “Once again I’m in awe as I look at my daughter and think about how she was in my belly 3 days ago. It’s truly amazing what our bodies are capable of. After having the boys I didn’t take any pictures of my postpartum body for months. This time I promised myself I would take the photos. Although I feel so much more confident this time, it’s still hard to look at your body after growing a beautiful little human and see this empty shell. It feels weak, sore, and exhausted. But I’m taking the photos anyway because in a few weeks I’ll be so thankful I did.”
All post-baby bodies are good bodies.
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From @beth_thebumptobabychapter: “When we only see certain types of post natal bodies it makes only one type of body feel acceptable to society. Which means the vast majority of us slump off in our PJS and baggy clothes when we still look 7 months pregnant after baby. My body worked bloody hard to grow a baby for 9 months and it’s going to continue working hard to look after a newborn. No pressure over here to fit back into my pre pregnancy jeans and I’m going to celebrate that with this photo of me rocking my best bod. Tena pants, a wobbly belly and all that’s in between, women’s bodies are pretty amazing!”
You know the only thing post-baby bodies need? Good, comfy undies.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtR37dvni1-/
The first few weeks are rough! But @kaylanicolemeyer has her priorities in check. She says, “Tired. Sore. No makeup. Unwashed hair. Messy bedroom. Sexy bottoms over my post partum belly. A not so happy Molls . And honestly feeling pretty dang good 😇 We’ve felt so much more confident and at ease this time around and I am just taking one day at a time. Rollin with the punches and keeping a smile on my face”.
Do we all love our bodies? Probably not. Do we need to spend less time obsessing over them? Absolutely.
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Sarah Nicole Landry at @thebirdspapaya is one of our favorite people, and this is why. Sarah says, “I grasp that it is my body and it is my skin. I see and I understand why it looks this way and what has lead me here, I am grateful for that path, I grasp that my body is healthy, that my body is safe, that my body is mine. [And] I understand that I don’t love all parts of it, but I also know that in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter too much and I need not spend time on caring too much either.”
WE ARE MORE THAN THAT.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bph6dWtnNSu/
This post from @mygreatestwonders is so perfect. Mika says, “I’m not going to share how little or how much weight I gain during pregnancy, I’m not going to talk about how slow or fast I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and I’m not going to reveal at what point I’m able to fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans. Why? […] I don’t want to reduce the beautiful miracle of creating, growing and birthing new life to a number on the scale. Women are more than that… I AM MORE THAN THAT.”
Our bodies and our strength are simply amazing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqXbXBun8_a/
From @juliana.yasmine: “2 weeks postpartum and my body is a trooper. We went for our 2 week check up and I had my tape strips removed. My body is healing quickly. I’m still soar on the incision and sitting up from laying down is no easy task. I am amazed still each and every day that I can sustain my self through this pain, healing and lack of sleep to still have energy to feed Azalea through the night, produce milk for her in such abundance and nurture her through the day. 💓Body you are my temple of life💓”.
It’s A-OK by us, too.
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@thelindsaywolf giving us the gospel truth in this post. She says, “This is A-OK by me. I think the biggest thing moms can offer each other is to lovingly & honestly share our stories. The days after giving birth have been largely hidden away from public sharing until recently, and I think that may be because there’s an implication that the image of my still pregnant-looking stomach & gauze undies & medical pads might be too much to handle or not pleasing to see. I want to change that narrative. The stretch marks that cascade across my lower stomach are truly one of my favorite parts about my body now. And my mom bod – exactly as it is – serves as a constant reminder of a moment in time when I vulnerably grew. When I lovingly expanded. When I courageously allowed. And when I easily softened.”
Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves most of all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7kdPSnJhr/
This post from @marisakimmel is what every person going through postpartum recovery needs to read. She says, “This photo is one that I knew I absolutely needed to take of myself, for myself, after I gave birth to my son. Once I could no longer fit in my jeans, I got rid of them. I didn’t want my changing body to determine how I felt about myself (especially during pregnancy), so I did what I thought would help, and it did. And now that my baby boy is out of my belly and in the world, I know I’m going to go through some rough thoughts about my new body again. I wanted this photo to remind me how strong and brave and beautiful I am. And it’s absolutely okay for me to not feel 1000% beautiful and strong and brave every single day.”
Our post-baby bodies are our stories, collections of each moment in our journey.
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Mama @nazzhie_xo writes, “How is this considered ugly? This is #Motherhood. My story, marked (literally) all over my abdomen. This is what 2 healthy babies and 2 miscarriages in 11 years looks like for me. Each mark represents the #Strength my body used to create #Life. For every #StretchMark I encountered on my body was for every breath, every blink, every yawn, every smile. I longed for these scars.” Every scar, every line – it’s a line on the road map to who you are, and should be celebrated.
We love this take on post-baby bodies.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnYX9EuHtGO/
Photographer @sarahbaughen writes, “As a society, we are so conditioned to hide our postpartum bodies, to be ashamed of loose skin and stretch marks and saggy bellies and breasts. Theres so much pressure to bounce back, suck it in, cover it up… But the stupidest part is that most of us have it, to some degree or another!!
So why the hell are we all hiding away – fear of judgement? We should be proud of our bodies that grew, nourished and birthed our precious babies, and continue to feed them once they’re out.”
The reality of postpartum is that most of our post-baby bodies look like this! Let’s own it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmq_acaljKg/
Take it from @kerrymconway and stop stressing over it. She writes, “This was my tummy yesterday at 2 days post partum. I feel like this time round I’m not in as much of a rush to get my body back, I am much happier just resting and recovering. Maybe it’s because it’s my last baby or maybe because I really fully appreciate what our bodies go through during labour as this one was a lot quicker and more intense. I know lots of you said how amazing I looked during labour and afterwards & thank you for those messages but this is still the reality of a post partum body for most women and I’m no different!”
“I will learn to love every imperfect bump, scar, and line”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjMnf_Yn8Kp/
It’s not easy to share what our post-baby bodies look like. But it’s so important, as shown by @days.with.the.family. She writes, “I’ve been battling with myself about this post all day trying to get the courage to share. This is me 7 days post birth, real, raw and vulnerable. I’ve always battled with self confidence and body image. My pregnancy with Lily I gained a lot of weight and it was a daily battle with the scales. This pregnancy was different I had already gained weight due to health issues and then I had surgery at 14 weeks. Recovery didn’t go as planned and I ended up having a hospital stay but I never once got on the scales. I know my body will never be as it was it’s homed and grown children. I will learn to love every imperfect bump scar and line because without them I wouldn’t have my beautiful family.”
All post-baby bodies are beach bodies! In fact, ALL BODIES PERIOD ARE BEACH BODIES.
https://www.instagram.com/p/By6w-tpgNnB/
Sandy at @theballardbunch tells the damn truth. She says, “Well after my third baby I finally realized I already have a beach body & full arms & a full heart. These kids are watching me & listening to how I talk about myself. Postpartum is beautiful. For every scar & stretch mark & wiggly body part, there’s a woman desperate to have those lines, desperate to have given birth & here I am with not one but THREE healthy happy babies. Praise the Lord for that. Don’t waste time praying to be skinny cuz it ain’t gonna work, trust me. Spend time playing in the pool with your kids. Spend time thanking Jesus for the miracle of motherhood. They won’t remember your lack of thigh gap, they will remember this moment when you had so much fun together. I am working hard to love the skin I’m in.”
Don’t let anyone or anything dictate your story.
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Shan May Croasdaile @shancroasdaile encourages us to listen to ourselves and block out the noise. Shan says, “There is no person, InFlUeNcEr or magazine on this planet that should ever dictate what we eat or do with our bodies. It’s YOUR journey, which ever way you want to do it. If you ask ever stop and ask yourself why you started, why you’re doing it or what you’re doing it for… the answer should always be ”because it makes me feel good and happy and I want to!” It’s time we start becoming best friends with the only things that keep us alive! Every single body is beautiful, and deserves all the love, care and affection in the world.”
We should embrace every inch of our post-baby bodies.
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Kiara LaShay of @lo_ki_smitten is adorning the parts she’s least in love with. Kiara says, “Yesterday I received my waist beads in the mail I was excited. I’ve been working to Adorn the parts of me that I dislike the most. To provide them with the most love and care. I decided to share my excitement w/ someone and the response I received was not expected. ”Not like you let people see your stomach anyways”. Immediate response was hurt and anger because clearly this is tough for me. I cried. I ran myself a bath lit some candles and just sat there. After a few hours I made a decision. Embrace your flaws.”
“A saggy belly doesn’t make us less lovable”.
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It should be the opposite! @julietatorresd says, “We are given the gift of carrying life inside of us, even nurture that life after birth. Our bodies are a gift, a miracle. No shame in that. A saggy belly doesn’t make us less lovable. The postpartum period is messy and complicated. There’s a toll on our bodies and mind. It’s hard and beautiful. So let’s support one another and more importantly let’s change the way we talk about our bodies. No shame, more love and truth. There’s a huge difference between saying ‘I love my body but I don’t like this’ to ‘I’m ashamed because of it'”.
It’s not always easy, and that’s OK.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2b0FogipM/
Like Kasia @motherlandblog says, we are more than the number on the scale. Kasia writes, “The truth is, it’s not always easy accepting and embracing our bodies after having children. Things have shifted and changed and for many, may never be the same again. But maybe that’s ok, maybe we’re not supposed to be the same as we were before. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it again and again, especially on my low days. We.are.more.than.a.number.on.a.scale. We are beautiful and we are powerful. We are mothers.”
Honestly, we love everything Meg Boggs has to say about post-baby bodies and self-love.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqspFCjAjel/
She’s the real deal. In this post @meg.boggs writes, “For the first time, I felt thankful for my body. There was a moment after she was born that I stood in the hospital bathroom just before I took my first postpartum shower. I was only in my robe as I stared into the mirror. I almost remember it in slow motion because I had avoided a mirror for years, even throughout most of my pregnancy. Locking eyes with myself, I tugged the string and the robe separated a few inches. I froze for a few seconds before I let the robe fall down to the ground. And there I was. I saw me for what felt like the very first time, but after another few seconds, I closed my eyes. I turned around and walked towards the shower. This moment was just the beginning of my self-love journey. It doesn’t happen quickly. But it never would have happened had I not tried.”
Our bodies are amazing. Our post-baby bodies are evidence of that.
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It can take some time to get used to our post-baby bodies. But there are so many things to love about them. Like @mamanicoledavis says, “Grateful for this body that nourishes my babies 💪 I told Ira to show me his muscles and he took it very seriously lol.. my boobs are constantly two different sizes, but on the plus side I am feeling my energy coming back.” Grateful – we should be forever grateful.
There is no definition of what a postpartum body should look like.
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Just as every baby is different, every post-baby body is different, but they’re all beautiful. @meg.boggs puts it best when she says, “There is no definition of what a postpartum body is supposed to look like, contrary to what some people will try and force you to believe. You will see women who have no marks, or have 50, you will see women whose stomachs went right back to being smooth and flat, or hang down with loose skin. You will see women who have lots of fat on their bellies, or who have none. And You will see women who were in great shape and toned when they got pregnant and women who were considered ”plus size” when they got pregnant. Some women stayed in shape through pregnancy while others gained weight. But what do all of these women have in common after birthing these adorable humans?”
A softer belly means a softer place for your babe to relax.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeB7Peyg7-U/
As @whenalexsmiles puts it, “I may be a little softer but ultimately I am stronger and these marks just remind me of where I once tightly held and grew Emilia Ren. This body, ME, I may not be the same but if she can find so much comfort and safety in this body, I will as well.” It may not be the body we remember, but it’s the body we have, and it’s the body that gave us our babies.
“The old home is just recovering and it takes time”.
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We love this from @jessie.juggles.three: “Much had to be done to prepare this space in the world for him.
So of course, the home he came out of needs time to adjust from being a place full of life, equipped with all the things to sustain and grow that life, to going back to what it was (not that ever goes completely back). My kids have asked me why it’s so squishy still and even if there is another baby in there. The old home is just recovering and it takes time.”
This message is SO important! Be mindful of you approach other women and their post-baby bodies.
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Don’t ever be that person. From @raisingthemartins: “We’ve GOT to do better. I’m two months pp. I have extra weight. I’m still the same size as I was pregnant. I cry somedays. I look at different ‘diets’. I’ve pushed myself on my sprained ankle and was told I will need physical therapy because I never ‘took it easy’. I wanted to dive into work outs regardless of the pain, because I felt so disgusting. But dang it this body has carried 5 babies over the span of 8 years. It’s not going to just bounce back, it’s going to take eating better, work+TIME. So thanks ‘babe’ but I’m working on loving this body of mine. Because this is what #postpartum looks like for me”.
Built-in expanders!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGZrtCF9lz/
Another gem from @thebirdspapaya. Sarah says, “The human body is sooooo freaking cool, with built-in expanders to allow us to change and adapt, go through puberty, bear children, grow muscles and so much more. â£And we sit here and we criticize it for a job well done. â£I just don’t want to do that anymore. â£I want to take my secrets, my burdens, and my shame, and I want to expose them. Not to set THEM free, but to set ME free. â£And I want to HONOUR my body, thank it and love it.”
Our post-baby bodies are NOT one size fits all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0B0yZ1ihCx/
From recipe creator @rozannapurcell: “From climbing mountains, swimming in the sea, going on a night out, making food, having babies whatever your journey is, it does NOT matter if it’s not in a ” one size fits all” has marks/bumbs/ lumps/ rolls/wounds it’s **ckn deadly what it can do, I mean once again pushing another human out?! The pressures on women to get their pre-baby body back after spending 9 months creating another human are crazy your body has just done something spectacular yet society feeds us a storyline that its the perfect time to feel shit about your body and change it quick.Today just remember and say it to yourself- YOU ARE deadly 🙌🻠every small thing your body does for you is a blessing don’t resent it.”
It shouldn’t be about how we look, but about how we feel.
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This is such an important message from @frannieandco! She says, “How I look now is to irrelevant to me. Obviously we all want to look great, myself included. But I feel there is so much more thats important after having a baby. Like what we achieved, surviving from day to day. Just getting through the day for that matter. And feeling mentally stable. Well that’s me anyway”.
We love this message – let’s change the language!
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This whole “pre-baby body” thing is a scam – your body is your body now! You can’t unring that bell. That’s why we love this message from @shakira.akabusi: “I’ve had enough of phrases like ”˜pre-baby body’ or ”˜drop a dress size’. A year postpartum and I’m still up a dress size and I LOVE IT. The first step to achieving a positive postnatal body image is to RESPECT your body and appreciate the magic it’s created. ð™ƒð™¤ð™¬ ð™©ð™¤ ð™™ð™¤ ð™©ð™ð™žð™¨? CHANGE THE LANGUAGE WE USE AROUND PRE AND POSTNATAL FITNESS!”
Also, it’s OK to love your body and not *love* your body, if you know what we mean! You do you, boo.
https://www.instagram.com/p/By2nyP7AmLv/
As @mamakeavy says, ” I’m not here to tell everyone they need to love and accept my body. Although it has carried two healthy children and exclusively breast fed them, I’m SO proud of that! but I don’t even love this body.. Everyday, even if it’s just a little bit.. I strive to be more healthy inside and out for myself and my girls. But this is where I’m at for now and I’m proud of it no matter what. I just enjoy documenting my real life, the good, bad and even the stretch marks”.
We need to see more real post-baby bodies! And more real bodies in general!
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Everyone is on their own body positive journey, however that looks for you. As @capricious_fitness puts it, “To think that I used to not have anything to say, or at least didn’t think I was worthy of having anything to say, and now you can’t get me to stop because my heart is full of things to say. This body positive journey has changed me in so many amazing ways and I’m thankful everyday that I finally said enough is enough to all the lies I was fed about my body and what beauty is.”
You know why it’s so important that we embrace and love our post-baby bodies? Because of the babies they created.
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They’re always watching. Gabby at @theperrittenest said is best: ” I have two silly, sassy, smart, strong-willed girls who look up to me. I never want them to feel like they’re not good enough. so here’s a big f*ck you to societies norm. here’s my messy living room, crazy toddler who wouldn’t smile, 4 day old hair, stretch marks & leggings to keep my belly in. here is me.”
Be kind to yourself.
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Above all, follow this advice from @lexie.theordinarymum: “Don’t take a “before” photo when you’ve just spent 9 months growing a human being. Don’t try to bounce back, because none of us do. Give yourself time. Time to adjust to your new normal. Time to heal and time to feel like you again. Your body will be swollen and your tummy will be stretched. Your boobs may never be the same, your stretch marks may never disappear. But you will feel good again. I can promise you that. So be kind to yourself in the mean time.”
They won’t be little forever, so why waste precious time worrying about stretch marks?
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These moments are so fleeting. Says @lizandlittles, “Most days I feel like I’m falling apart and totally killing it at the same time. some days I’m just straight falling apart. but I know the days are long and the years are short and am just trying to enjoy these little moments with these little humans that won’t be this little forever.”
A good point regarding post-baby bodies and social media.
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The next time you find yourself feeling low because of something you saw on social media, consider these words from @brookecollins09: “But also please remember social media doesn’t depict the whole picture. While I try to share the good, bad, and ugly…I can’t share it all (unless you watch my stories) so most see the posts of celebration for one single good moment that happened amidst my 5 bad and compare themselves. Stop that.
In an attempt to keep it real…THIS is my current normal.”
It’s a process, and it’s not always an easy one.
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Important words from @biggirlyyc: “Being 7/8/9 months pregnant as a plus size woman is maybe the best thing I have ever experienced. Because your belly and every inch of your roundness is celebrated. You have a baby in there! I wore clothes that showed it off and for the first time in my life I didn’t want to cover up. I’m now 4.5 months postpartum and I am doing everything I can to hide my body. I dread seeing new people because of the classic “you look great” statement many people get after having a baby. That statement means oh, you’ve lost the baby weight – good for you! I’m not getting those comments and I find myself being extra hard on me when I don’t get them.”
Our post-baby bodies also make way for our post-baby mentalities.
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The changes that happen when you have a baby don’t stop at the physical, as @_nicolelemke puts so succinctly: “Do you know what? When I had this body, I hated this body. My days were full of negative self-talk. I cried because I couldn’t find love or love myself.â£â£ My body now has grew a life. My body serves me everyday. I make my baby laugh. I have fed him for almost a year – I am strong and I am worthy.”
Total light bulb moment!
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@phdmome totally nails it when she says, “My body held a baby and that changes everything. That changes my weight, my brain, my body, my theology, my poetry, and everything in between. Why shouldn’t it change the size I wear? Why is that so crazy that my size changed? My postpartum body is beautiful as it is and I don’t need to shrink it.” Seriously, we love this so much!
“I created her rolls and she created mine!”
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We love this from @mrsmitsueda_ so much: “I have never loved my body more than I do now, I’m bigger than I’ve ever been, but also don’t feel the need to want to ”edit” or change my body at all! I have carried two beautiful babies in this body and fully sustained them with my body even after birth by exclusively breastfeeding and I am ONE. PROUD. MAMA. So I may not be as skinny as I was before I had babies and my boobs may not be as perky, and my skin may not be as smooth, but my body is SO much more beautiful and means so much more to me now than it ever has! I created her rolls and she created mine!”
Take postpartum at your own pace.
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From @mrsdingman.mama: “This is postpartum at my pace. This is how I am taking on these new challenges and embracing motherhood one day at a time. I don’t need to look better then I did pre baby nor do I have to be unhealthy and use motherhood as an excuse to lose who I am as a person. I get to make my own journey and decision based on what’s best for me and not what my neighbors are doing. That’s the beauty of self worth and this mama is worth so much.”
This is SO incredible.
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From @cc.cox: “Things I saw when I first looked at these pictures: excess baby skin, excess baby/body fat on my belly, every imperfection I could find. Things I also see now: skin that made room for my child to grow, strong legs to help me lift up and play with my child, strong will and spirit for not giving a F*** and wearing the 2 piece swim suit in public and competing anyways”. Amazing!
Why look back when we can move forward?
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Sounds like @carlyjeanwright has her priorities in order: “My body housed & grew a human. How do you return to life before that? When Reef was born, so was I. There’s a new strength coursing through my body, physically, mentally, emotionally. Why would I want to go back? The point of growth is moving forward. As a leader. As a mother. And as spiritual, sensual, powerful woman.”
It’s the only body we get, so let’s love it.
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We love this message from @the.lyons.life: “Dear Body, I’m sorry for the way that I have treated you over the years. I didn’t understand how important you truly are until recently. For years I abused you and took you for granted. I fed you too much, and I fed you too little; punished you because you didn’t look the way I was told you should look. I didn’t care for you. But from now on, I will protect you, I will take care of you. I will nourish you and give you what you need for healing. I will make you stronger. Most of all, I will listen to you. You and I are in this together for the rest of our lives”.
Wear that damn swim suit, mama!
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Life’s too short not to! This message from @yuungjoc is spot on: “I am enough and regardless of anyone’s judgement, my body proudly carries BRAVERY and growth. These are the stamps my babies left to show how connected we both once were. I’m here to remind you mommies also suffering with body dysmorphia in your new bodies, that you are ENOUGH and your new body does define your beauty but in a way that can be so hard to see. You deserve to love yourself. Please stop comparing yourself to a filtered social network and wear that freaking swim suit. After all our bodies have accomplished, they are more than praise worthy.”
Even celebrities struggle with their post-baby bodies. But seeing some of these celebs say “Eff it” and embrace their new normal is so great.
Married at First Sight star Jamie Otis has the right idea. She says, “Nope, not back to my normal size. And nope, don’t care at all. I’m just focusing on being as healthy as can be while nursing.” Take your time, mama! These early weeks are hard but so special, and you can’t get those back.
Everyone’s body is different. All post-baby bodies are different. But they are ALL amazing.
This is a cute little rhyme from @bekah in case you need a reminder: “Every mom bod is different””some are thin and some are round, some are wrinkly and some are hairy, some are light and some are brown.” We love this too much! We are all different, and we are all amazing, and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, you tell them to kick rocks.
Literally no one just “bounces back”.
Even athletes and celebrities have post-baby bodies! Professional Latin ballroom dancer Peta Murgatroyd says, “Ladies, we all have to start somewhere…being an athlete I pride myself on having a lean, strong physique, so believe me this has been a challenge to work through, but as long as you have a loving support network around you, you will be fine.” We all start somewhere!
This one isn’t necessarily about the picture, but the words.
Actress Jana Kramer dealt with haters with some hard truth: ” Why do we women have to compare ourselves to each other and then shame?. I say this to myself as much as I say this to y’all…why can’t it be that we are all different. Our bodies are all beautiful and crafted differently, they heal different, they react different, they simply look different. Why do we need to shame someone for not looking a certain way? Or feel bad about ourselves for looking a certain way? Can we be kinder to ourselves and know that every women has a different journey but yet we are all beautiful? Can we lift women up but not tear yourself down in the process with comparing? Let’s give that a try…..I love y’all. Back to my baby.”
Don’t stress over your post-baby bodies!
We give ourselves grace when we’re growing our babies, so why don’t we extend ourselves the same grace when they’re out? Jessie James Decker says, “It sure is incredible what the body can do and I’m so grateful! I know i say this after each baby but remember what our bodies just when through for 9 months and be proud, don’t stress over post baby body, just enjoy your new baby because these are beautiful moments and memories you will cherish forever (aaaand drink your coffee to survive the no sleeping all night long ha!).”
Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s.
Sing it, sing it, sister, sister! Tia Mowry had this to say after the birth of her second child: “While others it may take a little longer. Me, I’m the latter. After giving birth to Cree, my belly didn’t all of a sudden go flat. I did have a C-Section, (as well as with my second pregnancy) and I thought something was wrong with me. I had seen in magazines the many women on the beach a few weeks #postpartum in a two piece. To be honest, it had to take time for me to embrace my new body. With this second pregnancy, I now have embraced that fact that I’ve housed a human being. A miracle. A life. If it takes a while for me to get back to my normal self, than so be it. This.Is.Me. And I love me.”
