Mum shares honest pics of her body's 'slow' recovery 4 weeks after birth
She totally tells it like it is when it comes to body image...
We love it when mums share honest pics after having a baby. And we absolutely love these shots, showing a mum 4 weeks after welcoming her 3rd baby - with a body that's only slowly changing shape.
"My recovery is slow, slower than it has been the last two times... and that's ok, " says mum and US blogger Kirsty McKenzie.
Cradling her gorgeous newborn, and posing in her undies, Kirsty is the total poster girl for everything that is unique about pregnancy and birth.
And even more amazing is her lovely, reassuring and TOTALLY life-affirming post that accompanied the snaps she shared on her Facebook page.
"Each of my own pregnancies and recoveries has been different. It's just as real as the person rocking her pre pregnancy jeans and super flat stomach at one week post partum. My body is no less 'real' than anyone else's."
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In the post, Kirsty opens up about how our bodies look after pregnancy and birth, and how every experience - and therefore every post-baby body - is different.
In the post, Kirsty acknowledges that her recovery from labour is taking longer this time, and how she is still bruised and has an abdominal separation (where the two bands of abdominal muscles that meet in the middle of your stomach part company during pregnancy because of the growing bump) but how her body is still REAL and something to be proud of.
Here's Kirsty's post in full:
"I really dislike the way the word 'real' is used in this world of social media... ESPECIALLY when it comes to the subject of body image, or perception.
"Almost every time it's used, it leaves the rest of us open to the feeling that our bodies, or our journeys are somehow less than others.
"That because our bodies don't look like someone else's version of 'real', that we're not doing it right, we either haven't struggled enough, or we should be doing it better (it goes both ways).
"My body is no less 'real' than anyone else's. It's just as real as the person rocking her pre pregnancy jeans and super flat stomach at one week post partum.
"It's every bit as real as the mum who's pregnancy resulted in stretch marks and scarring, just as it's as real as the mumma who made it through without a scratch. We're ALL real. Just a different version of real.
"So here I am, third time around at 4 weeks post partum. My recovery is slow, slower than it has been the last two times... and that's ok. Each of my own pregnancies and recoveries has been different, I can't compare them, because the way in which I found myself at this point has been entirely different... and if I can't even compare my own three experiences, then how can I compare mine with someone else's?
"4 weeks post partum this time for me means, rounded and soft squishy tummy, lots of bruising still (both internal and external), an abdominal separation (which I haven't had properly checked because of the internal bruising), and a brand new scar marking Hannah's grand entrance into this world.
"Most days I feel like I'm just a milk machine, my body still really belongs to her, and the thought of getting back into it (exercise) is still well beyond me.
"At this point, almost every aspect of me has been changed again, changed permanently. And the best thing is, this time around, quite frankly, I could care less."
That last line is bang on the money, right?
In a world where are constantly judged for our post-baby bods and constantly encouraged to compare ourselves, this post is just brilliant ?
Bravo, Kirsty ???
Images: Kirsty McKenzie/Facebook
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