Embracing motherhood is natural, but embracing a post-pregnancy body can be a struggle.
Initially enamored by a cute baby bump, we all too quickly birth a child and expect to bounce back to what we once were. Looking in the mirror—the body we knew for so many years looks like a foreigner to us, and we want the old us back.
If you’re a mom and you’re feeling this, here’s a gentle reminder: You gave birth to a HUMAN.
And if that isn’t enough of a reminder, we’ve found some pretty amazing moms with a beautiful outlook on what stretch marks, saggy boobs and wrinkly bellies (that used to sport a 6-pack) mean to them.
"My body is a book. My scars are chapters. My stretch marks are lines. And every time I look at it I can read my story. Life is the best teacher. Motherhood the best adventure. And a woman's body after childbirth a work of art🌹"
“My C-Section scar aches. My previous scars ache. My entire abdomen aches.
The one shower I have taken since delivery took every single ounce of energy out of my body. While washing my hair, my arms felt like they each weighed 100 pounds, and afterwards I felt like I needed a 12 hour nap.
I knew these first few weeks of postpartum would be hard, but boy oh boy I had no idea how tough it was going to be. And we haven’t even started talking about managing a newborn twin schedule, but that’s for another day.
For all you new mamas out there; I see you, I feel you. And I know I speak for us all when I say I wouldn’t trade a single aspect of this new life I lead for the world.”
"Hey you, yes YOU!
This is a friendly reminder that YOU are enough!
YOU matter.
YOU are worthy of love and respect.
YOU deserve to take up space in this world exactly as you are RIGHT NOW!
Don’t be afraid to take that space and be strong, and beautiful, and soft, and squishy, and bold, and loved!!! ✌🏼"
"Yep, Im still breastfeeding!
.
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Yep, the kid is almost one!
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No, I don’t know when we will stop. That is up to her."
"Women’s bodies are amazing aren’t they? Creating life, carrying it inside of us, and then bringing that new life through ourselves and out into the world. It’s truly incredible. But I think sometimes we take these amazing bodies of ours for granted. We compare them to others. We wish they could be different, or look how they used to before all of the life giving. We love those babies but if we could just get rid of the stretch marks.. and it’s hard, it’s hard to see this new version of yourself, wondering if you’ll ever really feel like YOU again. Between the postpartum bleeding, the soreness and the sleep deprivation, endless nursing and oversized mesh underwear.. it can be difficult to love this new shape... but I promise it’s still you. Soft tummy and all. I promise you’re still worthy. You’re still enough. ❤️"
"My mom will hate that I posted this picture (#growingupmexican) but I hope someday my daughter will be empowered and inspired by it. It’s a dance of what was, and what can be. I love my heritage, but I also embrace moving forward in how we embrace womanhood. I hope my daughter grows up and remembers a mother who loved the extra curves and dimples and stretch marks, and in turn loves not only her own body but holds space to celebrate other women of all shapes and sizes, too. I hope my sons grow up knowing that strong, confident women are the NORM, and that they celebrate natural womanhood through all the seasons, too. Not sure how much longer I’ll have this bump, but man am I proud of this body."
