5 real mums proudly share pics of their body one week after giving birth

Fed up of celebrity mums posting pics of themselves bouncing back to their slender selves just days after giving birth? It can sometimes be a far cry from what REAL MUMS look like after giving birth, with bruises, ‘stripes’ and all.

Yes, you may be surprised to look down after giving birth and see your tummy looks just as swollen as when you were pregnant.

But this is the reality – this is what is expected. You can expect it to take weeks for your uterus to get used to not having a baby inside and months to lose the baby weight.

And the jiggly belly and postpartum tum is all part of the journey. It’s something that all mothers should be proud to share.

These five proud mums have given us a raw and extremely powerful glimpse of what a postpartum body actually looks like…

5 real mums proudly share pics of their body one week after giving birth

1. Alieen Holmes – six days after giving birth

This photo here is six days post my second emergency c-section. I had a NICU baby and was absolutely run down and exhausted.

I looked in the mirror after getting out of the shower and was so disgusted at what I saw, but then I went and saw my beautiful baby boy and realised that my body, as ‘disgusting’ as I thought it was, had grown two beautiful babies in 18 months and both delivered by life saving surgery.

My body in fact was AMAZING, all the the stretch marks I now have are because my body finally allowed me to fall pregnant and carry not one but two babies in a short amount of time.

Now at 8 months post my youngest, I have lost some weight but I still have a squishy tummy and you know what? I love it and so do my kids! 

2. Stephanie Marriott – one week after giving birth

Here I am one week after birth of my third baby. I really didn’t feel badly towards my body. It housed three babies in four years, and I was proud of what it had achieved.

I knew it had taken a long time to gain the weight, so expected it to take a long time to lose as well.

3. Corrie Critchlow – one week after c-section

Having a baby can take a massive toll on a woman’s body. It can be an emotional rollercoaster when our body changes and we worry that we will never look the same.

It’s important to rest and take time to let your body recover. This was my tummy one week after having my 5th baby, second c-section. 

The doctor told me that the bruising was most likely from a blood vessel that wasn’t sealed properly. The bruising didn’t last too long. It’s a pretty graphic photo, but it’s my pic and I’m proud of it.

4. Kellie Rogers – one day after giving birth

This photo was taken the day after I gave birth to my second baby.

I was tired, I was 4st. heavier and everything hurt! But it had been on a journey. I was very excited to finally have my body back though and ready to do something about it but I didn’t feel pressure to get back into shape. I did it in my own time.

5. Samara Syed – three days after giving birth

Those first few weeks after giving birth can be some of the toughest weeks I’ve come across. Not only on our bodies, physically, but on ourselves, mentally. It’s very easy to put pressure on ourselves to ‘bounce back’.

I know I did in those first few days before I found The Healthy Mummy. It is important to remember to nourish your body after birth and treat it well.

That is exactly what The Healthy Mummy taught me. Take it slow, be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that you have just made and housed a tiny human for 9 months!

It isn’t a race, it isn’t a quick fix. Every step in the right direction is getting you closer to your goal. Not every day will be easy, but it will get easier every day!

The Healthy Mummy way

The Healthy Mummy founder Rhian Allen says mums shouldn’t rush to get back into shape after giving birth, but take their time.

“We at The Healthy Mummy celebrate women of all shapes and sizes,” she says.

“Mums shouldn’t put pressure on themselves to lose their post baby weight to feel confident after giving birth. While we help mums lead a healthier lifestyle and get back to themselves, we encourage mums to lose their baby weight in a healthy way and when they’re ready.”

When you’re ready, join us on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge to lose the weight in a healthy way

Our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is a family-friendly, breastfeeding-safe program designed FOR MUMS to help them tackle their health and lose the baby weight. 

Every week you are given a different meal plan to follow and each month we add NEW recipes to our Challenge Recipe Hub. That way, you’ll never get bored and stay on weight loss track while digging into healthy, yummy recipes.

Learn more about our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge HERE.

If you would like a sneak peek at some of the meals, snacks and exercises from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge you can download our FREE recipe packs HERE.