It’s common for new moms to feel self-conscious about their bodies after giving birth. Most women’s bodies change because of pregnancy and the birth process, but society still expects new moms to “bounce back”.
A new photo series hopes to dispell that myth and celebrate moms for being beautiful exactly as they are.
We all know that women’s bodies go through tremendous changes during pregnancy and childbirth.
Now a new photo series sponsored by the underwear brand Knix is celebrating the beauty and strength of mom’s bodies.
The Life After Birth Project will feature 250 images of postpartum women from all walks of life.
The exhibit is currently on display in New York, but will soon travel to other cities including Toronto and Los Angeles.
The idea for the exhibit came from Joanna Griffiths, the founder of Knix, who struggled with breastfeeding her son.
“Mentally it was a battle. I could build a company, but I was struggling to feed my child. I felt like such a failure,” she said in the caption of her photo shared on Instagram that will also be featured in the exhibit.
The photo series shows different aspects of postpartum life for women across the country.
This military mom submitted a photo of herself pumping breastmilk while on duty. “Breastfeeding in combat boots is far from easy but I wouldn’t trade it for anything!” she said.
Other images show the reality of postpartum life and its struggles.
Even though there are a lot of happy moments being celebrated in these photos, they also touch on the more challenging aspects of being a new mom.
Celebrities like Amy Schumer also submitted photos to the exhibit.
Amy welcomed her first child, a baby boy, in May. The comedian has been praised for her unfiltered glimpse into postpartum life and for sharing personal updates with her fans.
Model Christy Turlington also submitted a photo.
Christy’s makeup-free breastfeeding photo will also be featured. She revealed that she lost two liters of blood after giving birth to her daughter.
Ultimately, the goal of the exhibit is to celebrate all moms and share their stories.
Every mom has a unique story full of ups and downs. This exhibit will put the spotlight on motherhood and highlight its beauty.
