When we think about labor and childbirth, a lot of words come to mind, and “beautiful” is rarely one of them.
We often focus on the pain or struggle associated with birth , but these photos taken and shared by real moms on Instagram want to change that conversation.
They’re shedding light on moms and their newly postpartum bodies in an honest and breathtaking way.
First selfie with the new babe
This mom actually ended up spending about a month in the hospital, but she wanted to let other moms know they could get through the challenge of giving birth.
“If you’re going through tough times, just remember— it doesn’t last forever and you will come out the other side so much stronger for it,” she said.
This is what a mom’s belly looks like 12 hours after giving birth.
It can take months for the uterus to shrink back to its original size, so most moms still look pregnant after giving birth. We need to embrace the mummy tummy!
Women are sharing these photos to help out other moms.
Seeing other moms’ photos can help women feel better about their own postpartum bodies. We’re all in this together, mamas!
Meeting a new sibling for the first time.
Each pregnancy and birth is totally unique, even when you’re a veteran mom. Transitioning from being a parent to one child to two also comes with its own challenges.
Taking it all in.
This mom decided to embrace her postpartum body even though it had been through so much.
“…even with a swollen and tender body, soft skin, lots of stitches and bleeding – i feel confident and strong,” she said.
A mom embraces her little girl following an emergency C-section.
We know that there is still a lot of stigma and misunderstanding surrounding C-section births, but this photo highlights the beauty of the moments following the procedure.
It’s okay to judge your postpartum body.
Juggling your feelings about your postpartum body can be complicated and take time.
“I felt dumpy, and empty, and it was tough to look in the mirror. But those negative feelings went away quickly when I thought about the little miracles we just brought into the world… ” this mom said on Instagram.
This is what it’s all about.
Giving birth is often one of the most challenging moments of any mom’s life. This photo captures all that hard work and happiness in a single shot.