In a sea of thin celebrities and fitspo-worthy pregnancy work outs, one brave mother has gone out of her way to show the world that, sometimes, post-partum bellies are not always picture perfect.
From lumps and bumps, to soft and saggy skin, many don’t realise that, after giving birth to a baby, your ‘baby bump’ doesn’t magically disappear.
In fact, for many mothers, it does the opposite.
And that’s exactly what New Zealand mummy blogger, Julie Bhosale, wanted to show.
Earlier this year posting on her blog, Julie Bhosale.co.nz, Julie posted her honest, frank and brave account of how her body changed after pregnancy – and how she felt about it.
“You live in a society that pushes images at you every day of women who have given birth and just “bounced back” – great for them (truly, that is great, Kate Middleton you are amazing!),” writes Julie in her post, “But this is such a small minority. For most of us, our bodies change, and change a lot. It is scary, it is hard, it can be downright disgusting and upsetting but it is real and normal.”
“So I have joined in the movement. Here is my #takebackpostpartum body blog. My real body after two children.”
From there, Julie goes on to describe her journey from a pregnant woman to a “tired, broken and sore” mother-of-two, who has “lumps, bumps, marks and jiggly bits”.
“No one is walking in your shoes, deals with what you deal with. You will be judged. I am judged everyday and there will be people judging me right now. Doing what is right for you and your family takes courage, takes strength and as a mother, you have both. Nourish and love from the inside out and do not forget: You are beautiful, you are amazing, you are a mother.”
Since her post Julie’s message has gone viral, with news sites and social media going Berserk for her honest and real account of what a post-baby body might look like.
“I am touched and often have tears in my eyes reading all the comments, messages, feedback and sharing of the blog,” Julie recently told the Huffington Post of all the positive feedback she has got from parents. “I stay up late at night reading them all (and replying).”
Adding: “I really hope that mums who read this truly know how beautiful, incredible and amazing they are – for all they have gone through, are going through and the sacrifices made every single day.”
Bravo, Julie!
Warning: Some may find the following content graphic.
24 Hours Postpartum. Regardless of how you birthed your child (aka watermelon), you can still look and feel like you have a watermelon (or two) inside you. It is often sort of lumpy and squishy too. There’s only one way that thing is coming down….hello excruciating uterine contractions…may as well go through labour again. I gave birth vaginally and it feels like a truck, not a watermelon, ripped through me. Good thing is I am so high on adrenaline and oxytocin nothing in the world matters except for my precious bundle…2 days later it is a different story.
2 Days Postpartum. Normally a size A cup, I am giving Kate Upton a run for her money. What’s more these puppies are ON FIRE and I still don’t know how to bloody use them. Show me that breastfeeding video one last time and I will tear the television from the wall socket – it is not helping. Everything leaks. I am wearing not one but two enormous maternity pads, inside granny panties to try and contain the postpartum bleeding. Golf ball sized blood clots keep coming out. I have to keep these to be inspected and make sure it is not part of the placenta. My body is experiencing a horrendous hormone withdrawal.
1 Week Postpartum. Still got a lumpy, squishy watermelon belly. Still got the granny style undies and thunder pads. I am glad to be home but surely it is illegal to be responsible for two other little humans when in fact you are a walking zombie?
2 Weeks Postpartum. Tummy still swollen, shrinking but swollen. I am still bleeding, its like the period that never ends. Boobs are like rocks. I am kinder to myself, I am not out trying to walk for an hour or more a day like I did first time around. May have to reconsider my dream job as a bikini model….
10 Weeks Postpartum. Now that it has contracted down, my swollen tummy is a bit more of a jiggly tummy, still rocking preggie clothes, and sporting a moon boot from fracturing my ankle – my body so broken from the last few months my leg just snapped like a twig when I rolled off a curb trying to walk an unsettled baby.
14 Weeks Postpartum. I am left with the marks of motherhood. A tummy that appears ‘flat’ but has the stretch marks, the skin, the sunken scar and abs which have not yet healed. It’s our best kept secret as mothers. I have just got my first period. I have irregular periods at the best of times so this I see as a true sign my body feels good.
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