DEMYSTIFYING THE REAL POSTPARTUM BODY
It was only five short years ago that one couldn’t look at Instagram and see anything other than filtered perfection. Motherhood was no exception to this must-look-perfect rule.
But when more Millennials (already accustomed to sharing everything online) started becoming moms too, unfiltered images of real motherhood began to crop up and be “liked,” igniting a new conversation where realness really mattered. The postpartum body, like so many other aspects of motherhood, no longer needed to stay and hide in the closet. Here’s a compelling piece in The Atlantic that explores the rise of this type of real mom talk, and predominantly attributes it to social media and the female celebrities who influence it.
When Chrissy Teigen posted a postpartum picture of herself wearing hospital mesh, “asian pear” underpants, the Internet rejoiced. When Amy Schumer posted photos of her postpartum self, grimacing from the hospital toilet seat, the Internet cried a sigh of relief, a collective “me too” of a different kind. When Ali Wong unapologetically spent 20 minutes breaking down the disgusting details of childbirth in stand-up—7 months pregnant no less—moms and dads cracked up in solidarity. Like it or not, when famous women around the world tell the truth they grant less famous women around the world “permission” to do the same. This is how fame and influence and The Internet work. And sometimes, the potent combo actually works for the greater, female good.