Even today, it’s a general expectation in society that women will simply snap back into shape after giving birth. This flawed perception is a result of shame: for years, women have hidden their postpartum bodies under baggy clothing, only emerging after getting back in shape.
This is only exacerbated by the fact that many celebrities, who can afford nannies and personal trainers, are able to return to their pre-pregnancy bodies almost instantly, giving the impression that this is normal. It certainly isn’t. There should be nothing secretive or shameful about the after-effects of putting your body through the incredible pressure of giving birth. Every single woman who has ever experienced a pregnancy has also experienced changes to their body, so why is it such a secret?
Thankfully, some celebs are now choosing to break the stigma and share their own postpartum bodies, hoping to normalize this stage of pregnancy once and for all.
1. Sadia Slayy
“Ive decided to share this even though it makes me 100% vulnerable to all of you and your judgements. I’m here to show you that we aren’t perfect. We all have flaws, and here is one of mine. I want you to feel better about yours and not be ashamed.”
2. Brie Bella
“It’s been such a magical time✨ After giving birth it’s essential to take care of yourself so you can take care of the new love in your life too! Recovery the second time around has been so different in a good way because I was way more prepared”
3. Pink
“Would you believe I’m 160 pounds and 5’3″? By ‘regular standards’ that makes me obese. I know I’m not at my goal or anywhere near it after Baby 2 but dammit I don’t feel obese. The only thing I’m feeling is myself. Stay off that scale ladies!”
4. Hilaria Baldwin
“I took this yesterday when Leonardo was about 24 hours old. I did the same thing right after Rafael was born. It always makes me a bit nervous to do something like this, but I feel that in the age of such strong body shaming, I want to do all that I can to normalize a real body and promote healthy self esteem.”
5. Jenny Mollen
“Not anorexia, it’s a thyroid issue. I don’t know what it says about me that I got this thin and didn’t think there was anything wrong. Last Friday, I had a bulge in my neck that finally got me to the doctor. I’m STILL waiting on blood work but my doc thinks it’s Graves. If you just had a baby and have lost an inordinate amount of weight, feel like you are on cocaine, are suddenly heat intolerant, can’t stop losing hair, and think your husband is being a dick it might just be your thyroid!! Get checked ASAP”
6. Kate Hudson
“So…here we go! The routine with our baby is getting more familiar and I’m ready to start taking a little time in the day focusing on myself. For me that means my health. Why? Because I wanna be around a long time for these three kiddos of mine.”
7. Katy Perry
8. Peta Murgatroyd
“I took this photo 8 days post birth. I left the hospital looking 5 months pregnant. Many people think a woman should shrink right back to her pre-birth weight immediately. That is just not the truth for most.”
9. Amy Schumer
10. Jamie Otis
“6 wks postpartum!🤱🏻 Photos taken a minute apart. Isn’t it amazing what sucking it in & pulling up your yoga pants does!🤣”
11. Desiree Siegfried
“I’m not typically one to document or especially share body image pics but the more and more postpartum pics I see from you all- the more empowering I feel the message can be to new moms- or anyone for that matter!. So here I am 4 days postpartum looking like I’m still pregnant but feeling like a supermodel/ warrior. Haha.”
12. Catherine Guidici
“She escaped! #1weekpost”
13. Ashley Graham
14. Daphne Oz
“Seven weeks post partum, still looking three months pregnant 🤗 there is no bounce-back, it’s all onwards and upwards. every day has moments of total splendor and also a decent number of WTFs.”
15. Tia Mowry
“7 weeks #postpartum. Some #pregnant women after giving birth no longer have a belly after 7 weeks. While others it may take a little longer. Me, I’m the latter.”
16. Melissa Suffield
17. Jenny Mollen
“I just met my new c-section scar for the first time this morning. Thank you Dr. Albert Sassoon for your artistry. Because I wish somebody had shown me a pic like this 9months ago, I’d like to insist this be your new business card.”
18. Daphne Oz
“Everyone starts somewhere. 💫#10weekspostpartum just got sweaty and it felt so GOOD!! only my second real workout since having Gigi.”
19. Chrissy Teigen
mom bod alert! pic.twitter.com/Qi0BZvLmhV
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) July 31, 2018
20. Amy King
“My body is not magazine perfect, but this is me. When I look in the mirror I see a MOM. And there is no greater honor, love or blessing!”
21. Gemma Atkinson
“Loudly and proudly rocking my post baby curves 🙋🏼♀️ This is me 6 weeks and 4 days post emergency C section.”
22. Jessie James Decker
“Keepin it real! 3 weeks post and I’m still very swollen. The 3rd has been by far the hardest recovery, but I’m feeling stronger every day.”
23. Iskra Lawrence
24. Alaia Baldwin
“#thisispostpartum #day1 #womencandoanything 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻”
25. Audrey Roloff
“Just keepin it real over here 👋🏻 while this past week has been full of newborn snuggles and heart melting moments… it’s also been really hard”
26. Peta Murgatroyd
“Love thy self ❤ #Day17 postpartum. I think I’m doing ok….and I’m actually fine with the rate at which my body is shrinking back. After 2 days back at the gym I’m feeling like the old Peta again.”
27. Bekah Martinez
“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. No one’s body is “🤢”. If you think otherwise, kindly fuck off or unfollow 🙃”
28. Jamie Otis
29. Carly Waddell
“It’s been a week since Charlie was born, he is the greatest blessing and one of the greatest lessons for me as a mom. I had all these hopes and dreams that postpartum would be easier this time. But I still ache. I’m healing. I’m tried.”
30. Cardi B
31. Loren Brovarnik
“Today I am 13 days postpartum. I’m beyond exhausted. I haven’t brushed my hair in 2 weeks (I’m lucky if I can shower for 5 min a day). I haven’t worn makeup in who knows how long. I’ve been pooped and peed on regularly. I’m nursing every 2 hours, like clock work. I’ve never smiled bigger and I’ve never been happier.”
32. Camila Nakagawa
“Dis my body & I love it #stretchmarksandall⚡️💥🌼🎵💕✨ @analuisany
–
I just want to point out that its OK if you have to work for your self love. It might come easy to some and that’s amazing if it does, for me it never did.”
33. Millie Mackintosh
34. Teddi Mellencamp
“My Day 3 postpartum reality: It is unbelievable, unconditional love. It is an incredibly powerful bond that Dove and I share. It is tears of joy watching Edwin light up when he’s with her.”
35. Millie Mackintosh
“I try to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle and I count myself lucky that throughout my adult life I’ve felt and identified as pretty body confident but now all that has changed along with every other aspect of my life, which makes me look at my body in a totally new light and it’s been a big adjustment!”
36. Daniella Monet
37. Jamie Otis
“Today marks 4 weeks since the best blessing in my life came.💗 [@henleygracehehner officially turns one month old Friday.]😭 Ive learned SO much in these 4 weeks.☺️ First of all, how amazing are the hospital undies?!”
38. Jade Roper
“Women’s bodies are seriously phenomenal! It’s taking my uterus more time to return to its normal state this time around, but honestly I have never loved my body more than I have this postpartum.”
39. Jenna Cooper
“I wanted to make sure that you all could see that my postpartum belly is still here🙃 I’ve received the sweetest and most encouraging messages, and wanted to say thank you so much! Your compliments have really helped my confidence, but I just want to make sure you know that I’ve struggled with with body changes, new emotions and responsibilities, and being hard on myself just like you in the stories that you are telling me!”
40. Carrie Underwood
“I’m going to be honest, “bouncing back” after having Jacob has been much more difficult than after I had Isaiah and I’ve been pretty hard on myself lately.”
41. Jazz Charton
“This is me 4 days postpartum – I live in sexy surgical mesh underwear that’s keeping a world of pain in check, my boobs are engorged, I burst blood vessels In my face from pushing, my big pregnant belly that I loved so much deflated to a mere paunch but it’s all so worth it.”
42. Gretchen Rossi
43. Kayla Rae Reid
44. Ashley Graham
“Some things I love: a cute bathing suit and a backyard shoot with the family! We’ve had such great time making the most of this summer in Nebraska and these suits have me feeling great for my first summer as a mommy!”
45. Nadia Essex
“I’m not doing this because I hate my body, I’m doing it because I love it 🥰 I’m in awe of what it did, grew my baby and kept us safe. ”
46. Jessie James Decker
“I’ll be honest I still get insecure when I put a swimsuit on sometimes because of how much loose skin I have from my pregnancies. I worked really hard to lose all of my baby weight. Even gaining 55 pounds with my first. It’s no wonder I have so much loose skin two out of the three babies were 9 pounds 😬”
47. Kenya Moore
“The SnapBack is real! 🙈👀😝😊LOL
I still can’t work out yet but I feel much better. I was cut twice during my 3 hr Csection but I made it! I’ve always been healthy and worked out my entire life…whatever my body will do I’m not rushing it. It feels good to start to feel myself again.”
48. Ali Manno Fedotowsky
“Self love is a difficult thing to fully embrace. When I look at myself in the mirror I can’t help but notice that my hips are wider than they used to be, my wrinkles are deeper than when I was in my 20’s, and my stomach has lumps and bumps that didn’t used to be there. But then I try to remember that my hips are wider because they give birth to two beautiful children. My wrinkles are deeper because I’ve spent countless sleepless nights making sure my kiddos are cared for, fed, and loved.”
49. Katrina Scott
“I’ve been wanting to share this & I finally have my hands free! 💞Baby girl is all fed, diaper is changed, and she’s fast asleep…and my diaper is changed too…yup lol. So here it is…this is me just before I got pregnant vs 6 days after giving birth 💞”
50. Rachel Platten
“Caught a cute glimpse of myself at 3am and thought I’d #blessyourfeed and put to rest the whole “wow Rach you look so recovered and not tired wtf” vibe.”
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