The stories of our post-baby flesh.

I recently received a Facebook ad in my newsfeed for a brilliant new procedure being offered to mums. It was enticingly titled ‘Australia’s First Mummy Makeover Package.’

The makeover consisted of a little tummy tuck for the excess skin where your flesh stretched to accommodate your growing child, some liposuction across your hips where they thickened to help balance your load and post operative pilates to help improve your core.

The accompanying photograph was a flat belly with the tell-tale dashes drawn on to highlight problem areas begging to be cut back into shape.

I’m not anti-surgery. Far from it.

If you truly feel that nipping and/or tucking, lifting, plumping, smoothing or reducing will help you feel better about yourself, help elevate your sexuality, and increase your self-confidence, then go for it with great gusto.

What I am anti, however, is the suggestion that after we grow a human being inside of us for nine months until our skin is positively bursting, stretching and tearing from the inside with that creature of our loins, that the excess stomach skin, added fat and thickened hips are so undesirable that we should cut it out of our very bodies.

It’s insanity.

I feel like the world has gone mad for suggesting such a thing.

We are not meant to look youthful and nubile forever.

Our bodies tell the stories of our lives and we should hold our heads high and own the tales our skin can tell.

Each scar carries a paragraph, each purple or silvery mark like a tiger’s stripes show our journey from child to woman to mother, and we gracefully, graciously head towards the final twilight of our bodies as they eventually fade like flowers.

I was angered by this ad in my feed, and I was disgusted by the use of an image that was obviously ‘aesthetically pleasing‘.

I was moved to create something that highlighted the beauty that is the body that has created another being.

The post-baby body.

Whether your child is 2 weeks, or 20, your body tells the story.

Feeling good about yourself is so important. Feeling strong and healthy in your body and mind is all interconnected, and feeling less desirable after having children is something so many women feel. Less beautiful than the old pre-baby you.

I just want to say ‘Bullshit.’

Confidence is beautiful. Bravery is gorgeous. An ability to laugh at yourself is to die for.

You must remember you made a person.

You are an alchemist.

You are magnificent.

 A humungous thank you to the beautiful ladies who participated in this post. Your bravery and honesty was both humbling and empowering.

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