Mom Bod: Moms Celebrate Post-Baby Bodies, Stretchmarks And All

Ok normally I wouldn't show off my stomach but moms are supposed to show off their mom bodies and be proud of it this week. Excuse the messy hair...just ran 3.5 miles. Who's brave enough to post with me. #mombod

A photo posted by @charlietango6 on May 11, 2015 at 5:36pm PDT

Recently I was talking with my partner & an artist friend of ours. He mentioned that he had started taking night classes drawing nude models. "Is that awkward for your wife?" My partner asked. "No. I mean... It's not a sexual thing. Like, at all. We're all there just trying to better ourselves at drawing the human form. Shading etc..." That spawned a conversation of hyper sexualization & how the female body is often portrayed to the masses as a coveted sexual object. I started thinking about my own body & the insecurities that I find myself clinging to in a world of endless unrealistic expectations. A few mths ago, I started doing yoga & pilates. I liked the way it made me feel & how quickly my body responded to it. I began to feel how strong my body was becoming & it was empowering. But then I would look down. All I could focus on were the droops of excess skin that no amount of crunches would ever cure. All I could see were the wrinkly stretch marks spanning the body that once grew a beautiful baby girl 11 yrs ago. I couldn't help but feel discouraged. "Maybe one day, I can get this skin removed" I thought to myself. "It's not fair that Im working so hard & still have to feel ashamed of the way I look.” Then yesterday after a workout, I took this photo on a whim. For no one other than myself. For a moment, and probably the 1st time since becoming a mother, I looked at myself & was able to see past the parts of my body that were out of my control. All I could see was the definition & strength that my body had grown. And I suddenly felt so beautiful & so proud. I wanted to share this with others to add to the effort of normalizing society's standard of beauty. I have stark, strong features, because I AM strong. Im a woman. Im a lover. And a mother. Im an independent thinker & can literally produce strength & muscle in physical form, while also crafting a human being. Thats what I see in this photo #selflove #beauty #yoga #pilates #mombod #loveyourself #wisdom #fitness #motivation #stretchmarks #workout #higherconsciousness #positivity #female #body #innerpeace #stretch #namaste #feminist #goodvibes #universe #vibratehigher #esoteric #boho #om #paradigmshift

A photo posted by Food for the Spirit 🌱 (@thespiritroom) on May 11, 2015 at 10:16am PDT

#mombodyrevolution #mombod #fitness #fitmom #healthyliving #vegan #weightloss #vegetarian #turbofire #turbofirechallenge #beautiful #beachbody #girl #pretty #model #scene #emo #metal #punk #yogafamily #love #life #namaste #yogi #loveyourself #septum #stylist

A photo posted by Kayla Marie (@kayrahwalden) on May 12, 2015 at 6:26am PDT

It's not perfect. Total of 4 pregnancies- 2 miscarriages and 2 beautiful children with me. Love what my body did for me. #takebackpostpartum #mombod #perfectforme #beautiful.

A photo posted by @dvorak.me on May 11, 2015 at 1:36pm PDT

This body brought 3 handsome boys in this world.. I support.. #mombod

A photo posted by blueshop092013 (@joanmoresca) on May 12, 2015 at 2:36am PDT

"I grew, nourished, protected and brought another human being into the world with this body" #mombod #postbabybody #proud #trendingeh 😛

A photo posted by Yvonne Quezon (@yvooooone) on May 12, 2015 at 2:35am PDT

It's time to wake those critics to reality and show the prettiest body of a woman... not those ABSolutely toned and trimmed ones but that when her body becomes a vessel of a precious miracle. Cheers to all mothers! #MomBod is the new trend. #babylove #babybump #babydiary #iloveyou #excitedmuch #vsco #vscocam #vscobaby #igersbaby

A photo posted by Therese Celocia-Bokingo (@terebokz) on May 11, 2015 at 11:29pm PDT

You know I was going around and around in my head if I wanted to post this or not... But I've recently read about how "dad bods" are in... Well what about the bodies of millions of woman who just had a baby? Why is society so judgmental about our bodies after giving birth to our beautiful children?... I had two beautiful baby girls and my body isn't the same like it was in high school. I don't workout like crazy to"get the perfect body" I love the way I look and I love myself enough to not torture myself to fit in with society. #loveyourself #mommytummy #dontcare #wasntbornperfect #neverwillbe #mombod #screwsociety

A photo posted by Jessie Smith (@jessie_baby916) on May 11, 2015 at 9:48pm PDT

Thanks @craftysuburbmomma !!!! Gotta love #mombodz !! #Mombod #HotMomma #WeLoveOurMoms #AllShapesAndSizes #ShesCraftyAlso !!! #MommyMonday

A photo posted by @mombodz on May 11, 2015 at 8:00pm PDT

My body may be FAR from perfect but ill get there one day. But im PROUD of where I am right now #mombod#5mopp#Imhappy

A photo posted by Kessler Lara (@_kesslerlara_) on May 11, 2015 at 7:53pm PDT

#mombod I might not have a flat belly but it's ok I love myself no matter what

A photo posted by Ceara Wright (@ceeceeskye) on May 11, 2015 at 7:36pm PDT

#stretchmarks? #flabbybelly? = #mombod!hahaha #flauntit hell yeah! I'm wearing a bikini! #beaching

A photo posted by @johannahmariep on May 11, 2015 at 6:11pm PDT

56 pounds down and here it is... Hashtag MOM BOD #mombod what flaws????

A photo posted by Carly Sunflower (@carlysunflower) on May 11, 2015 at 6:04pm PDT

#mombod here Ya go...only 50% of the damage done in the photo, the oldest couldn't be bothered but it happens...#motherhood that is...as #dadbod becomes a thing so should #mombod #illtakeit #roundandhappy #scars #stretchmarks #proudmama #nbd #worthit #lovemygirls #kids @mombod #mamas

A photo posted by jes (@coachsmoach) on May 11, 2015 at 4:05pm PDT

A #mombod might not be perfect. But bringing a child into the world is perfection. It shows you have made it through hard things others can't imagine going through. Stretch marks are warrior marks showing you got emotional, every breath your little one took, how much you think you wouldnt be able to make it, and how often you thought you were scared and frightened. But you were strong enough to pull through and it was all worth the pain. #mombod #showyourstripes

A photo posted by Claudia Varnum (@clarkclaudia) on May 11, 2015 at 4:32pm PDT

The hardest & most rewarding 9 months of my entire life, why hide it? Why should we ever be ashamed of having proof that we created a miracle within our bodies? #MomBod #Proud #Stretchmarks

A photo posted by Aurora❤ (@ohh_ro) on May 11, 2015 at 2:34pm PDT

My body is a mother's body. I may not like every lump and bump and mark I see, but I will remember that clarity of a child's perspective. This has been home to my son and has nourished him. And, for that, I cannot help but love it! To all mothers out there, don't be ashamed of your body. You are a goddamn tiger who earned her stripes! 💕 #mombodFTW #mombod #loveyourcurves #mothersday #mother #tiger #summerof2015 #aquaholic #wanderlust #igersph #island #beach #travel #pinay #pinoy #beautiful #photograph #philippines #picoftheday #positivity #filipino #love #happiness #friends #passion #paradise #namaste #travelgram #morefuninthephippines #explore 💋☀️🏊👙🌴

A photo posted by Life ● Food ● Neko ● Unknown (@kittyrazzi88) on May 10, 2015 at 11:03pm PDT

May 10th: it's taken a while to feel comfortable again, but this body was a home to my greatest love who made me a mom. Happy mother's day to all the moms, single father playing both roles, and all the moms-to-be! ♡ #mombod #takebackpostpartum

A photo posted by Allyson Linhares (@ahhlisun) on May 10, 2015 at 7:34pm PDT

To all the ladies that traded our "amazing bodies" for a #mombod To all the girls that weren't quite ready but did it anyways, to all the women that do what they need to do and regret nothing at all, #HAPPYMOTHERSDAY ! We put our children first, we work hard to provide, we give all the love we can muster to them. Let's wear our #tigerstripes #proud today, because we earned them!!

A photo posted by molly flanagan (@hxcmollydolly) on May 10, 2015 at 9:58am PDT

My little #boobshark passed out on the soft, squishy, stretch-marked tummy from whence he came. It took a bit of work to get you here, buddy, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Happy Mothers Day to me, dammit. 💘 #mombod #motherhood #mothersday #fourthtrimester #takebackpostpartum #tigerstripes #candidchildhood #vsco

A photo posted by cai vail (@cai_vail) on May 10, 2015 at 7:15am PDT

I'm feelin beautiful! #mombod #beautiful #lovely #notskinny #justright #thick #Healthy

A photo posted by @mrs.kirk4ever on May 9, 2015 at 3:54pm PDT

I'm not trying to get my body back, I never lost it! #takepostpartumback #mombod #happymothersday

A photo posted by Ashley MK Yun (@ashmky) on May 9, 2015 at 12:51pm PDT

#Mombod

A photo posted by Jennifer (@jvalenti411) on May 9, 2015 at 8:59am PDT

You are worth every stretch mark, every belly wrinkle, every dirty look from people when I wear a bikini or a crop top, even the awkward outtie belly button I have yet to adjust to 3 years later. I have my good days and bad days when it comes to my mombody. I have had men make me feel undesirable, I have had people make me want to leave the beach, I have had people make me want to change my clothes, to cover up the signs that show how I have created and carried two beautiful boys in this body. We all need to accept the mombody for what it is, beautiful. #loveyourlines #takebackpostpartum #mombody #mombod

A photo posted by @tabithayay on May 6, 2015 at 4:23pm PDT

So its been almost 10 months since my gorgeous daughter was welcomed into the world.. and I feel fantastic. I have a little more work to do, but I have never felt more comfortable in my own skin than I do now. I LOVE MY MOMMYBOD !! #mombod #mommybod #rockingthemommybod #happy #confident

A photo posted by Cassandra Madigan (@cassmadigan) on May 5, 2015 at 6:58am PDT

I am soooo sick of reading about belly fat and the quick fix ways to empty your bank balance and apparently dissolve it. Three kids lived in there once. I earned that shit. #mombod

A photo posted by Mrs MMM (@mrsmmm_) on May 4, 2015 at 12:44am PDT

#takebackpostpartum 10 weeks after my second 9 lb-er, @takebackpostpartum has truly inspired me to love ever stretch mark and feel confident in my own body again. I earned this body by creating the two most wonderful creatures in this world #loveyourbody #bikinibody #postpartum #mombod #takebackpostpartum #youareperfect #takingbackpostpartum #wearebeautiful

A photo posted by pthc22 (@pthc22) on May 3, 2015 at 1:21pm PDT

Here's my #mombod photo! The "dad-bod" trend is ridiculous to me, but I'm loving this mom-bod one. It's not about letting yourself go like the male version. It's embracing your body after you carried a child/children. Although I can't really say "it's worth it" 100%, I couldn't imagine looking any other way. Still work out regularly but the stretch marks are something that will forever be there. I'm learning to appreciate them rather than hating everything about them. Oh, and I definitely have the world's biggest food baby right now. 😳🍝 Also, how sweet is that little girl I carried for nine months? Just look at that face. 😒😂 Thanks, Veda. #SweetVedaRae

A photo posted by @redlipsandwhiskey on May 11, 2015 at 5:49pm PDT