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Ashley Graham says it's OK for moms not to 'bounce back' after pregnancy: 'Your body is beautiful in its realest form'

Ashley Graham is sending a message of self-love.

In an Instagram post shared Wednesday, the model and body positivity activist shared a video of herself dancing in a white bra and underwear set from Knix. She captioned the video, “Posting this video for all the mamas who haven’t and may never 'bounce back' and for anyone who needs to be reminded that your body is beautiful in its realest form. this is my strong, five-month-postpartum-been-pregnant-for-two-years body. as it is. in hopes to further normalize ALL bodies in every and any stage of life.”

Ashley Graham celebrates her post-pregnancy body in inspiring new Instagram post. (Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Ashley Graham celebrates her post-pregnancy body in inspiring new Instagram post. (Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage)

Graham’s Instagram followers loved the post. One commented, “Love you! Thank you for your encouragement and positivity! All bodies are beautiful.” Another added, “Thank you! Honestly tired of seeing models posting their stomach weeks after birth, and it’s unbelievably tiny. Usually comes with some comment about accepting their new body as if it’s different from before. Everyone’s different but sometimes seeing too much of that feels toxic. You are a gorgeous mama!”

The mom of three — who gave birth to her twin boys in January — recently worked with the undergarment brand on an inclusive lingerie line. Graham helped scout models for the photoshoot, which included women of all different sizes, body types and ethnicities.

“This is about more than just lingerie, it’s about making sure everyone feels good, sexy, beautiful,” Graham wrote on Instagram in May alongside a photo of her posing with the other models. “It all started with the casting call that I posted on my story and asked 'Why do you want to share your beauty with the world?⁠' We received soooooo many beautiful responses, it was almost impossible to choose only 5. But we did."

That same month, Graham also posed nude for Spanx, just three and a half months postpartum.

She told People at the time, "My body has changed so much … I have much more gratitude toward my body because of how much work it's been through, but it has definitely taken time to, you know, look at my new body, and my postpartum body, and recognize it again."

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