We frequently see pictures and accolades flying around the internet at the moment, highlighting and praising the ‘real mum’ body. From galleries like this one, and bikini photos like this, women all over the world are getting behind each other with support, love and encouragement.

So why is this such a big deal?

Seeing women bodies after birth, I think, is liberating. But where there are the celebraters, there are the haters, and what we need to remember is that whether we look like Rachel Finch after having our bub, or Julie Bhosale – each of these women are as inspiring as each other because each of them created a tiny human, and each of them shouted to the world ‘HEY! Look what I did. And here is how it changed my body’.

I, for one, LOVE my post baby body. Don’t get me wrong – I sometimes look at pictures of me pre Evie and I want to go to Officeworks, print 100 flyers of it, laminate that shit and letter box drop my whole neighbourhood like ‘CHECK ME OUT!’. Seriously, how did I ever have any questions about my body, I should have been way more proud than I was! But I suppose that’s the generation we live in, where we pick apart and look at unrealistic images in the media, without taking a step back to realise that every single person is designed and created so differently.

About 10 weeks pregnant

But now, I’m a bit heavier. I’m jigglier. I have stretch marks (that I ended up not being able to avoid, sorbolene creme and all). And I have a unique cesar scar, that even if I can squat my heart out, will be there forever.

And I look at my body in the mirror, and walk around the house naked, proud as punch because I made a life! I’m not ‘letting myself go’. I fully plan to get into the gym soon (I’m 8 weeks post natal for crying out loud, I think I can have a breather and some wine don’t you think?), I plan to get stronger and fitter. I spent my pregnancy not being able to do much exercise at all, and my back problems were pretty horrendous during the second trimester. I’ll go to help my body recover, and (in the long run), prepare my body for the next pregnancy, and because I just generally enjoy being active – but certainly not because I feel obliged to lose any ‘baby weight’.

I made dis 

I recognise that not everyone feels like this – and hey, it’s probably because my hippy mum brought us up with no scales, and tells us we are beautiful everyday.

But if we can start realising that every single women who has given birth has a right to be celebrated, whether she gave birth vaginally or cesar, whether she had pain medication or not, whether she has stretch marks or not, whether she breastfeeds or not, and whether she loves her post natal body or not because EVERYONE carried a watermelon for a long bloody time, and if that’s not enough to celebrate alone, then I don’t know what is! 

What up stretchies?

For more inspiring pictures of women in general, head on over to Stevie van der Chys photographer – this talented lady is holding a #bodylove series in Geelong next year, and I for one am excited to go to it – pre and post natal bodies or not!

You are beautiful, you are amazing, you are a mother. – Julie Bhosale