25 Moms Share What Postpartum Bodies Really Look Like

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“Tonight I’m sharing this photo I took a few weeks ago whilst on holiday. I didn’t post it at the time and I don’t actually really know why. I guess it’s because it’s not picture perfect. There’s a loo roll in the background to start with! _ But I took this photo because I remember looking at myself and feeling relief. I started thinking about how far I’ve come on my journey to self love. And then I started thinking about the reality of social media, and the reality is, life isn’t picture perfect. And we’re all guilty of posting our most ‘flattering’ photos. _ This body is not a before, not an after, not a work in progress. This is my body now. Far too long I’ve tried to ‘bounce back’ tried to shed the ‘baby weight’ tried to ‘cut the cake’. Not anymore. _ I guess what I just want to say is live your life, forget about silly numbers. Be yourself. I’ve spent too long hating myself, being my own worst enemy. Its time to end this battle between my body and my mind. It’s time to be me.” Words and image by @lauren_dungey. . . . . . . #effyourbeautystandards #postpartum #postpartumbody #bodypositive #bodyposi #selfloveisthebestlove #everybodyisbeatiful #selflove #takebackpostpartum #postpartum #mumbod #bodyconfidence #bodypositivity #nofilter #loveismyfilter #loveyourlines

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Yup. This kid is upside down. Trying to unblock a milk duct 😂😂 Post partum looks a little like this 👊🏽 ✔Tired as fuck ✔Leaking tits ✔Infected and blocked milk ducts ✔A floppy gut ✔Uneven boobs ✔Tears (quite a few) ✔Covered in baby shit, vomit and piss ✔Bleeding cracked nips ✔Pretending you are listening to your 7 and 9 year old but you don’t know what the fuck they are saying ✔Eating and drinkng more than you did when you were pregnant As you can see its super glamorous and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Also this need to “bounce” back ? Our bodies carried a human for 40 weeks, birthed the bloody thing, the last thing we shoukd worry about is loosing weight, or getting back to normal, or trying to be a hero and do everything. I learnt my lesson with the first two. It does sweet fuck all for your mental health Thank your amazing body for doing such an awesome job. Don’t expect too much from your self and remember this too shall pass. From a blistered nipple mumma xx @benessa_v #takebackpostpartum

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“I’ve been wanting to share this for awhile now. Almost everyday, I receive messages from other Mums asking me how I look the way that I do. How I got my ‘pre baby body’ back. Here’s the truth ladies – I DIDN’T. I have the excess skin. I don’t have stomach definition the way I used to. My hips are a little wider. I don’t want there to be any misconceptions. My body did not just ‘bounce back’. Now having said that, I work very hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to FEEL good in my skin. I may not ever look the way I did before I had the twins. And you know what? I’m OK with that. _ I have arms. I have legs. I can see, hear and experience life. My body has done amazing things, why on earth would I punish it? _ Learn to appreciate what you have. It doesn’t mean you have to stop working for what you want, just show a little self love along the way.” 💕@twinmamadiaries #takebackpostpartum

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“Time will push you to your limits, faster than you want it to, aging you in ways that make you ache, slow down, grow tired and weak. Laugh. Walk. Eat. Drink. Dance. Garden. Skip. Make an effort and stop time. Stand beneath a rainshower, let yourself become completely drenched. Nap under a tree, when the rest of the world goes to work. Get on a bicycle and go for a cruise. Drink that wine or milkshake slower than you ever thought you could… savour each drop. _ Babies will suck your energy up. Children will treat your body like a jungle gym, bruising your skin, and pulling your muscles. Jobs will have you sitting indoors for too long. Partners may take you for granted. Friends will be under the illusion that they are too busy for simpler times spent together. Musical instruments will sit in their cases, forgotten. Hair will go unwashed. First dates will be boring and waste your time. Lovers will rip your heart out and put you through emotional hell and back, leaving you gutted, insecure and distrusting. Labor and birth and early motherhood will be painful, hard and depleting; leaving you with a body you may not know so well, or feel so good about. _ The path of adulthood is textured and often, uphill. But. ❤ _ You are incredible. You are soft, and precious. Giving, and nurturing. Beautiful and sensual. _ 🔥❤You are worth honouring.🔥❤You are worth loving.🔥❤Stop for a moment, and love yourself. _ ❤🔥Repeat x infinity. _ IMAGE AND WORDS BY @elliana_allon. . . . . Image belongs to the person tagged. Do not alter or use without their permission. #postpartum #reallife #momlife #birthwithoutfear #takebackpostpartum

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“Despite how difficult my postpartum was and sometimes still is, what I see more than anything when I look at my Hope wounds is a beautiful and loving Mama trying to do all she can to provide the greatest love and care for her miracles. I see a strong woman who not only fought and conquered infertility, but spoke up and ultimately didn’t let postpartum anxiety and depression beat her. There is so much beauty in that when I look at my Hope wounds.” @thefortintrio _ Celebrating my Scars. Link in her bio. _ #tripletmom #tigerstripes #postpartumbody #postpartumdepression #bebraveyou #motherhood #momlife #motherhoodsimplified #postpartum #mombod #hopewounds #birthwithoutfear #selflovegeneration #takebackpostpartum

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“Why be ashamed? A life grew inside of you that gives humanity hope of change. You felt things that I as a man will never understand. Even when you first held your baby girl or boy it was nothing similar to when they lay in their father’s hands. Your body changed and so did you. It became a look into the past of what you went through. You grew mentally and emotionally and your spirit was taken to places you didn’t think it would ever go. Your breasts may sit differently. Your ass may not be as thick as it once was. But why should it be when you gave so much of yourself to help all of us. A sacrifice of sorts if you choose to see it that way. But to me your body now is exactly how it’s supposed to be. So don’t be ashamed. Don’t hide your changes from the world that you and your sisters helped create. Be proud of your story. Be proud of your lines. Be proud of who you’ve chosen to be.” @expressionsuntold___ _ Muse: @sereneradianceyoga Photo by @expressionsuntold___ #birthwithoutfear #dontforgetdads #takebackpostpartum

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“Deep breaths…..this is me. This is my body. My body as a cancer survivor, as an amputee, as the mom to 3. I have the scars to show the battles I have fought, I have the stretch marks to show the babies I have grown. My body tells a story, it’s shows my journey……. And yet I have never been so hard on myself and how it looks as I have now. I’m 16 months postpartum, I’m still nursing. My stomach is still soft and my breast will never be as perky as they once were. Today I had to stop the nitpicking… I had to be kind to myself and I had to try to look at myself the way the people I love see me. I had to look at the amazing things this body has done. How can I see only faults in a vessel that has given me so much? This is MY body.” @treeoflifedoula3 #takebackpostpartum

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Lex Gabrielle