Under the glossy sheen of social media (damn those filters), it’s easy to get caught up in unrealistic expectations and too-good-to-be-true stories — of travels, motherhood, what have you. That’s why Courtney Baird assumed that after she gave birth, her body would basically go right back to where it was before that whole “nine months of gestation” thing it had just endured. At least, that’s what it seems like happens on social media, right?
But when faced with the reality of postpartum life (and body), Baird wanted to let other moms out there know that life is actually very different from the photos that are so dominant on Instagram. So Baird posted a side-by-side photo of her stomach — pre-baby and post-baby — to her own Instagram, letting everyone peek behind the curtain of mom-body myths.
“I thought, ‘No more belly! I’ll be able to see my feet again and finally have people stop asking when I’ll pop,” she wrote. “I think on social media platforms, often times it is pictures shared solely of women who ‘bounced back’ immediately and were walking out in their skinny jeans with no signs that they just had a baby.”
More: Little People, Big World Star Body-Shamed for Posting Baby Bump Photo
View this post on Instagram
Baird posted the photo as a reminder of what her body had gone through — before, during and after the birth of her son. She also reminded herself that this is the second time she’s gone through the pregnancy and birth processes and assured her followers that all of this takes time. Plus, she points out, it’s different for every person and changes don’t happen overnight — or after a week.
Baird’s followers showered her with support and shared their own tales of dealing with their postpartum bodies. With over 15,000 likes on the post, it’s clear Baird’s not alone.
More:This Mom’s Video Hilariously Captures the Difference Between Carrying One Baby vs. Twins
Until she gets the clear from her doctor to even start thinking about getting active again, Baird says she’s just focusing on spending time with her new arrival, son Forden, and his big sister, Everly, 2. That and giving moms everywhere a relatable voice in the overproduced world of social media.
Leave a Comment