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Mums share pictures of their postpartum bodies to help others embrace theirs

The account and hashtag were created so mothers could express what it really means to be postpartum

Chelsea Ritschel
in New York
Tuesday 22 May 2018 15:18 BST
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Mums are sharing their postpartum bodies on Instagram (@Takebackpostpartum)
Mums are sharing their postpartum bodies on Instagram (@Takebackpostpartum)

Postpartum bodies in any form should be celebrated, so women are sharing their unfiltered photos on Instagram to inspire and encourage other new mums.

The pictures are being shared to the Instagram account TakeBackPostPartum alongside inspirational quotes, mum tips, and honest descriptions of new motherhood.

Featuring a wide variety of postpartum bodies, the account offers reassurance for new mums that it is okay to have remaining bellies or scars after birth, and there is no need to feel pressure into regaining “pre-baby bodies.”

On one photo of a mum cradling her newborn with her Caesarean scar showing, the caption reads: “No matter how you birth, #postpartum is full of healing and finding new normals.

Mentally, physically, and emotionally. And takes time. More than six weeks. Postpartum is just the beginning.”

Another emotional photo describes how hard it can be to be a new mum. On a photo of a new mother using the toilet and crying as her baby sleeps next to her in a basket, the mum wrote: “My body feels broken… everything hurts… I don’t feel like I’m bonding as easily this time around… today has gone to sh*t.”

Other photos proudly show off stretch marks, breastfeeding babies, and mums and their babies bonding - all parts of new motherhood that should be celebrated and enjoyed.

In addition to the photos, the account posts tips and inspirational quotes for new mums.

“Self-care tip: Unfollow every account on Instagram that makes you feel like you need to be someone else,” one reads.

Another advises: “Instead of asking a new parent if their baby is sleeping through the night, which can be a detrimental question, ask them this: ‘How is postpartum going?’”

The account, which is run by mother-of-six January Harshe, has amassed over 135,000 followers - with many of the followers commenting their support on the photos.

“I so needed this today,” one mum wrote on a photo of a new mum’s “mummy tummy.”

And others agree - the photo, which is captioned: “It’s okay to bare the marks of your pregnancy and birth proudly. The same as it’s okay to feel a little bit upset and like a stranger in your new body. It’s human. Learning to accept and love yourself as you are is a process - it’s okay if you’re not quite there yet. It’s also okay to work towards personal body goals, working out and eating healthily to sculpt your body in a particular way doesn't mean that you have to hate the body you’re in now. On the contrary, it’s all about doing what makes you feel happy and accomplished,” has received over 6,000 likes.

As for her decision to use the hashtag #takebackpostpartum, Harshe wanted to create a place of positivity for postpartum mums - away from adverts for stretch-mark cures and weight loss.

In a blog post, she wrote: “It’s a roller coaster ride that is personal and different to each person and family going through it but is also similar enough that most of us can relate on some level.

“LET’S TAKE BACK POSTPARTUM. We are mothers and strong women. Our collective voice is so powerful that we can shake the entire world.

“Why a hashtag? It’s a start. It’s a movement. It’s a way to speak up and say this is not okay.”

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