This is postpartum - this is ME!

The female form is incredible. Growing, nurturing, feeding and relentlessly loving on tiny humans. Yet still we have body issues! Beautiful Mama, it’s time to celebrate – this is me!

@thepeacefulhomemaker
Mummy tummy. We are almost eight weeks postpartum. This is my body and I love it.

I’m really tired of seeing the ‘postpartum weight loss’ or ‘bounce back’ posts. Bounce back? Why do we feel that we need to ‘bounce back’ after a baby?

We aren’t the same person before having a baby. Why do we expect our bodies to go back to what it was pre kids? We shouldn’t bounce, we adjust and learn to love our bodies. After all, look at the magic they do.

There are so many ‘influencers’ on social media creating this expectation that within a few weeks, your body will go back to how it used to be. Sure it can, mine did with Leon but I was extremely rare. This time around it hasn’t. I have a new body and you know what, I actually love it. I love my jelly belly. Is that so crazy? I love how much Leon loves my ‘playdough tummy’. It might not be your idea of beautiful, but it is mine. It was my boys’ home, I grew two children in there. It is beyond beautiful.

Just because society has led us to believe that only women who have flat stomachs with a six-pack, tanned skin, perky breasts and a thigh gap are the definition of beautiful and attractive. Even after children we are expected to work our asses off in that magical 30 mins we might get between breastfeeding and nappy changes. Yeah nah, I’m alright, I’ll enjoy my shower or adult time with my partner instead thanks. Maybe even a Big Mac if I’m feeling real adventurous.

We should be nurturing our bodies. My GP told me last week that I can start working out now and she recommended some sit-ups to help tighten my loose skin, while her hands were stick picking at my belly. Excuse me? I know she didn’t mean to offend me, but she did. Six weeks postpartum, the last thing on my mind is my loose skin.

So, to all the mummies and mummies-to-be: this is reality, this is normal and it is beautiful. It was your child’s home. How can anything be more magical? Learn to love that jelly belly and those stretch marks. They were created from creating life.

You are enough. You are beautiful. You are sexy.
#stopcensoringmotherhood

@chloedumont
This type of photo is really hard to share, but it’s more important to me to always be authentic with you. I want to share my first impressions of my new body and how I’ve accepted these postpartum changes, link in my bio!

My pregnancy  was not the easiest and it left its marks on my body, but when I look at our little Abigaëlle I only feel pride – I’m proud to be her mum and to have these meaningful marks that remind me of the privilege I had to carry life inside of me.

It is not always easy to look at this reflection in the mirror, but the traces that I see on my body but they represent the first and future drawings Abigaëlle will do. They’re souvenirs of the most beautiful memory in this wonderful adventure!
#LaVraieVie #PostPartumBody #PostPartum

@kaitlinrobertson_
Seven days postpartum, I can’t believe how incredible the female body is and how it can miraculously transform. To think what my body has done in the last seven days is mind blowing. I’m doing my best to fuel my body with good nutrition (when I remember to eat!) – food that digests easily and leaves a happy tummy. Making sure I drink more than enough water. Taking arnica daily (for bruising) and taking care of my belly by covering it in oil (for those new marks) every night. After all, my belly was adored and fussed over for the last 10 months, so why stop now? My body needs just as much care now as it did whilst pregnant, and giving myself time to do this is so important for recovery. So here it is, my body seven days after bringing life into this world!
#blessed #sotired #postpartum #newbornbubble #selflove #7dayspostpartum

@she_plusfive
In response to the hateful messages I got about my belly photo, I’ve been empowered to share this message louder!

Yes, I do I have a valley of lines mapped across my belly, mountains of stretched skin left over my mid section, lightning bolts on my sides and back, all signs that I carried life inside of me .... five times!

I also have a C-section scar reminding me that my belly was cut open twice! 

My body is amazing.
My body is beautiful.
My body is powerful.
My body is strong.
My body is capable.
My body made me a mother.
My body grew a human inside.
Not everybody has that privilege. 

So while society wants to sit behind a screen and label us as flawed, I am here to remind myself, and all of you, that to our children we are perfect. They see behind the stretched-out skin, marks and lines. They see us for who we truly are. They know our hearts and love us unconditionally. And that is all that matters.
#freeto #mumbod #postpartumbody #realpostpartum #empoweringwomen

@jennakutcher
Raise your hand if you’re the reason my body has changed... (Conley slowly lifts her tiny hand.)

Along with my changed body, my mind has also changed. I thought I’d wear one pieces for the rest of my life. I planned to hide, post baby, and only semi show up! It’s easy to do that online, isn’t it?

For some reason, I thought that having a baby would ‘ruin’ my body and with messaging about getting your ‘body back’ post baby and strangers filling my DMs offering diet plans and pills, it’s easy to understand why.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel in my skin, didn’t know if I’d want to hide the loose skin, extra pounds, stretch marks or my boobs that are two different sizes, but I’ve never been more proud of this body that I hid for years.

I’m wearing it all with pride because I want to recognise I’m a walking miracle who is strong and resilient and scarred and flawed but proud and beautiful. Why are you hiding?

Oh and for the record, I’m not worried about getting my ‘body back’ because, frankly, I never lost it.
#postpartumbody #7weekspostpartum #aeriereal

@piercejaymes
Oh. My. Goodness. This is me right after I gave birth to Brody. That’s right, POST birth. Whenever I doubt myself or feel bad about my postpartum body, I can look at these pictures and remind myself how badass I am. Mesh undies and all.
#thatpiercelife #imakehumans