A mother-of-three has shared a candid snap of her body just hours after giving birth to show how a post-pregnancy body really looks. Elise Raquel, from west Australia, posted the picture of herself on Instagram in a bid to show her 30,000 followers what a real post-pregnancy body looks like in its “rawest and most vulnerable state.”
Describing how she had felt the need to cover up after her previous births, Raquel said that despite the joy of welcoming a new baby, it always felt “strange to look down and still see a bump.”
However, after giving birth to daughter Willa, she admits she has finally learned to be proud of her body including the extra kilos and stretch marks that came with each new arrival.
“It’s not easy to go home with a baby and still have to wear maternity clothes. With my first I was adamant I would just “bounce back”. But you know what, I didn’t, I never have in fact,” she wrote.
“It’s taken me three babies, but I’ve finally realised this postpartum body isn’t something to hide! I am beyond proud for what this body has given and sacralised.”
The inspirational mum called on other women to celebrate their post-pregnancy bodies too adding, “I am NOT ashamed of my (many) new stripes and my postpartum body. And neither should you! Let’s celebrate postpartum bodies, in all their glory.”
