These women want to encourage new mums to love their post-baby bodies no matter their size

A mum-of-three has shared a revealing snap of her body just hours after giving birth to show what a post-birth body really looks like.

Elise Raquel, from Australia, posted the picture of herself on Instagram earlier this year in a bid to show her 30K followers what a woman body looks like after going through a pregnancy, then giving birth.

“Let’s talk postpartum bodies!” she wrote in the accompanying caption. “I asked @belleverdiglionephotography to take this photo, just hours after giving birth to Willa, in my rawest and most vulnerable state.”

“I was in pain and I was overcome by a flood of emotions. Elated to have welcomed our beautiful girl and so empowered and proud of what my body and I had just done! It’s a strange feeling to look down and still see a bump, even though you’re holding your baby in your arms, even after doing it three times. It’s not easy to go home with a baby and still have to wear maternity clothes,” she continued.

“With my first I was adamant I would just “bounce back”. Everyone would say “you’re young, you’ll loose the baby weight in no time!” But you know what, I didn’t, I never have in fact. ‘With each baby I’ve gained a few more kilos and a few more stretch marks.”

Elise went on to say that she used to want to hide her post-birth body, but after having her third baby she had a revelation that her new body was something to celebrate.

“I’ve finally realised this postpartum body isn’t something to hide! I am beyond proud for what this body has given and sacrificed. I am thankful that my body is able to carry and birth babies naturally. I am NOT ashamed of my (many) new stripes and my postpartum body. And neither should you [be]!”

She finished her empowering post by encouraging other new mums to embrace their own post-baby bodies.

“Let’s celebrate postpartum bodies, in all their glory,” she said. “The female body is incredible and I am so proud of what mine has done! Remember that. A post-baby body is not failing because it doesn’t look just like it did before pregnancy. It’s done something truly amazing, and that’s worth celebrating.”

Unsurprisingly Instagram users were quick to flood the post with messages, thanking Raquel for being so upfront and honest.

“I wish I’d seen an image like this with my first baby..I felt like I was the only one with marks and saggy bits,” one woman wrote.

“How inspirational, love this photo, totally took me back to my days and feeling somewhat the same post bubba,” another added.

Elise isn’t the only new mum who wants to encourage other women to appreciate their post-baby bodies.

Fitness model Chontel Duncan has just given birth to her second child, and has just taken to Instagram to share a photo of her post-pregnancy body.

Chontel continued to work out until days before she gave birth and the full-length image she posted revealed her bump has given way to reveal a toned and taut stomach.

But Chontel isn’t sharing the image to make other new mums feel bad about their own post-baby bodies, but to highlight the fact that everyone has their own “normal.”

“Now before anyone jumps down my throat saying anything negative, think before you type,” she wrote in the accompanying caption. “Everyone is unique and different in their own special way. There is no “one” journey or one way, this is my “normal”…I am only one person, so therefore I cannot possibly relate to everyone’s experience.”

Chontel goes onto say that she was thankful that she had a very enjoyable pregnancy with no morning sickness and that she is planning on beginning her 8 week transformation programme once she is given the all clear to do so by doctors following her c-section.

“I plan to keep you all up to date as I find my new routine as a mummy of 2 beautiful blessings,” she finished.

Though both women’s post-birth photos are undoubtedly different and represent two very different body shapes, the message both women are trying to get across is the same.

Whether your body develops stretchmarks that no amount of Bio Oil is going to shift or you’re lucky enough to see your abs making a reappearance one week postpartum, every woman’s post-baby body is different. But ALL should be celebrated! (It did grow a mini human after all.)

And while it’s ok to be a little unsure about your post-baby body, you shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

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