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New Moms Hospital Selfies Show What Postpartum Life Is Really Like

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New Moms Hospital Selfies Show What Postpartum Life Is Really Like

Postpartum – A true rollercoaster of emotions!
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It’s quite late that we’re just beginning to realize what Postpartum life is really like for new moms. We honestly owe a lot of action that would make the subject matter rise in popularity on every social media platform.

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If you’ve observed: TV shows, series, and even movies never featured new moms recovering or relaxing after giving birth, WHY?

Well, these sincere photos from new moms taken just hours after giving birth are beginning to shed light on the postpartum journey.

Bouncing Back Is A Fallacy!

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“You will bounce back quickly”. I heard this so many times while I was pregnant, that my body would go back to “normal” in no time! What no one told me was that bouncing back would involve healing from a third degree tear, totally body aches and pains, an unstable pelvis, excruciating tailbone pain, night sweats, headaches, breast pain, and chills. They didn’t tell me that I wouldn’t have the strength to sit up with my baby in my arms. They didn’t tell me that simply walking to the washroom may put me in tears from the pain. They didn’t tell me that my mobility in postpartum would be less than at 41 weeks pregnant. But I also wasn’t told that I’d have the most amazing baby girl whom I’d love deeper than I ever thought possible. That I’d cherish those moments when she fell asleep in my arms. How my heart would break every time she cried. Or how much I would love the little noises and faces that she makes. They didn’t tell me they all my pain and suffering would be worth it just to see my baby girl and hold her in my arms. The journey of having a baby is a rough one, it’s full of ups and downs that you never imagined. Things won’t go your way, it will be painful and the most difficult thing you will ever do. But it will be so worth it. #postpartum #recovery #childbirth #newborn #yoga #1daypostpartum #postpartumrecovery #pregnancy #babygirl #hospitalselfie

A post shared by Catherine Marie (@catherinemarieyoga) on

@catherinemarieyoga, an Instagram User posted this no-filter selfie with a powerful message about how much healing goes on when in the postpartum stage. New moms need to rest a lot. ‘Bouncing back’ should be the last thing on your minds’

What Postpartum Life Looks Like 8hours After Delivery!

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I’m going to post this before I change my mind. 😜 This is me 8 hours postpartum in my hospital bathroom. Any women who has given birth in a hospital knows about these sexy mesh undies. 🙈 ⠀ ⠀ This is what postpartum looks like. The belly is still round having just vacated a human. The face is puffy and tired. There’s a giant bag of assorted pads and more mesh underwear hanging from the door. My IV port is still in my arm in case I need any emergency medications. ⠀ ⠀ I was slow walking here. But amazingly, my body already felt so much better than it had been, as all that back pain I was experiencing at the tail end of pregnancy subsided. 🙌⠀ ⠀ Mamas, give your bodies time to heal before you feel the pressure to “get your body back.” Your body has changed – it grew a human (or 2, or 3, or 4…)! What an amazing feat!! ⠀ ⠀ Am I excited to workout again?! Hell yes!!!! Am I excited to wear my old clothes?! Of course!!! But I’m also going to do my best to remind myself that my body did a lot over the past 38 weeks, and I owe it to myself to honor and respect that. ⠀ ⠀ Now, at 3 days postpartum, I’m feeling even better. Follow my stories for more postpartum updates! ⠀ ⠀ #therealpostpartum #postpartum #postpartumbody #mombod #thisispostpartum #4thtrimester #8hourspostpartum #postpartumselfie #surrogate #surrogacy

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A round puffy belly, mesh undies are normal in the first hours after giving birth. Giving life to a baby is challenging and recovering from it will surely take time.

There Seem To Be A Lot of Smiles!

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Just one more. For now. #postpartumselfie 😂

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An adorable, smiling selfie also captures the joyous moment between a mother and her newborn baby.

Ok, Check Out My Pose!

This new mom, (in the above photo) was in labor for 20 hours. It’s exciting to see her walk around and even strike a pose for the camera.

The Real View From A Hospital bed

Undoubtedly, this is not glamorous, unless mesh undies will now be the next fashion trend. On the other hand, many moms won’t want to trade this journey for anything else.

A Postpartum Physique Can Be An Emotional Experience!

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This is me one day after giving birth. Belly still swollen from extra fluid, stretched skin and muscles, and a uterus that had grown to the max. I was prepared for that. —- One week later, I left Cubby with my mother. I needed to get out of the house and he was sleeping, so it was better for him to stay. My first solo trip. And just as I was about to enter the Target, I had this overwhelming wave of emotion that I was so very much not prepared for. I was totally alone. I started crying. For ten months, I’d carried this soul inside me. Felt my baby kick, laughed and talked and sung to him. We ate together, we slept together, we were completely and utterly one. And now I was walking into the Target all by myself with my round postpartum belly but with no baby in it. I felt empty. I would reach down absentmindedly to touch my belly, to have that connection I’d once felt but that squishy belly was far from the one I’d had just a week prior that was bursting with life. The belly never bothered me. The loneliness did. Some people will say that having a baby is like having a piece of your heart outside your body. Not for me. I never really notice my heart. For me it felt more like a limb was missing, like I had forgotten to put on clothes, or that feeling when you can’t find your wallet. I was exposed and vulnerable. Watching that belly fade was like losing a memory. Maybe that’s why nature wants us to keep our young close, why they so perfectly curve into us when we hold them, why we feel like something is off when they aren’t around. Just maybe it’s so that at least a little bit of that memory remains. 💫 . . . . #pregnancy #pregnant #breastfeeding #birthuncensored #thisisbirth #breastfeedingsupport #babybump #thisismotherhood #birth #baby #newborn #postpartumsupport #normalizebreastfeeding #postpartum #breastfeeding #pumpingmom #4thtrimester #birthwithoutfear #13monthsold #13monthspostpartum #homebirth #bornathome #newmom #4thtrimesterbodiesproject #parenting #momlife #postpartumbelly #lifewithbaby #vegan #motherhood

A post shared by Lauren Archer (@loveofalittleone) on

Expectedly, pregnancy and childbirth permanently change the bodies. This new mom, however, sees her postpartum belly as a symbol of the fact that she and her baby are no longer physically connected.

Check Out the C-section Moms

A lot of new moms are still very ashamed over C-section births. But this mom has taken to social media to share her experience.

Skin In the Skin Process!

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”This obviously isn’t your usual #1daypostnatal “look how my body has bounced back after birth” type photo. When we only see certain types of postnatal bodies it makes only one type of body feel acceptable to society. Which means the vast majority of us slump off in our PJS and baggy clothes when we still look 7 months pregnant after baby. . My body worked bloody hard to grow a baby for 9 months and it’s going to continue working hard to look after a newborn. No pressure over here to fit back into my pre pregnancy jeans and I’m going to celebrate that with this photo of me rocking my best bod. . Tena pants, a wobbly belly and all that’s in between, women’s bodies are pretty amazing!” . ⠀⠀ . ⠀⠀ . ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📷: @thebumptobabychapter, by @chuikingli ❤️ . ⠀⠀ . ⠀⠀ . ⠀⠀ Join our Expectful Photo of the Year Contest for a chance to win $2,000 in cash prizes and have your photo featured on our website and app ✨ Link in bio. ⠀⠀ —– ⠀⠀ Expectful is guided meditation for your fertility, pregnancy, & motherhood journey. Our entire platform has been made to support you during one of the most challenging and beautiful times of your life. Use your mind to give your baby the best start by going to expectful.com and signing up for your free trial. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ To learn more about the research on how Expectful can help you, go to: expectful.com/science 💙

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‘There’s no pressure over here to fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans. I am going to celebrate with this picture of me rocking my best bod.’ This mom said.

The Raw Copy Of The Postpartum Life!

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This is postpartum. This is c section recovery, for the third time. I grew three humans in this body and it has taken its toll. It’s the biggest sacrifice I’ve made in life, my own health and physical strength, to house three beautiful babies. Worth every minute, good and bad. But postpartum leaves you with this distant memory of your body. Pieces are kind of out place, swollen, mushy, painful, boobs hard as rocks, the darkest under eye circles you’ve ever had, pain killers that make you a zombie, but you give yourself grace and time to heal, one day at a time. I’m a hot mess, but it’s kind of a lovely mess, because I get to snuggle a sweet baby while I recover 😍 I graduated from mesh undies a week in, so I’m calling that progress! 😉 you don’t have to love how your body looks, I certainly don’t, but you can accept it and love it for what it’s given you ❤️ a good bra makes a difference too when your boobs are angry and busting at the seams 😜 like this one from @kindredbravely 😍 #bravemomad #sponsored

A post shared by Art + Motherhood + Life (@hellokatiejo) on

@hellokatiejo didn’t refrain when describing how she felt after giving birth to her 3rd child. ‘I am a hot mess, but kind of a lovely mess.’

Working All The Angles!

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I’ve mentioned before how Princess Kate and I are pretty much living parallel lives. 👯‍♀️ Married within weeks of each other, helicopter pilot hubbies, my Charlotte was born the week before hers, and we both have the uncanny ability to look freaking fierce merely hours after giving birth. 💁🏼‍♀️ I wonder if her postpartum nurse complimented her on her peri bottle skillz too? 🤔 When I call her up to coordinate a play date, I’ll be sure to ask and we can also chat about motherhood and pilot wife life and I need to remember to ask her how she gets her Charlotte to let her brush her hair so nicely. (I’m assuming bribes and threats, right?) Wonder if her Charlotte is wanting a PJ Masks 3rd birthday party this week, too? In all seriousness, you go, girl, but daaaamn. Damn. Those must be some strong mesh undies they give ya over there cause mine weren’t nearly as good at smoothing out the postpartum belly. 🤣 #motherhood #meshundies #postpartum #TMI #passthecolace #happyforhercalmdown

A post shared by Kristie Magnuson (@magsquadsixpack) on

Mesh Undies – isn’t it time we make them more stylish?

Loving One’s Postpartum Body Can Be Difficult!

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>>It’s taken me a long time to get the courage to post this. A whole month actually! I was afraid of what friends and acquaintances might think. How they might paint me if they see me at school pick up or at the hockey rink. (Hello half naked 👆🏼). But this is real. This is #postpartum. This is motherhood. The ones who matter won’t mind and the ones who mind don’t matter. 😘 .If you've ever stood in front of the mirror picking apart your body. If you've ever skipped a meal or two or three due to feelings of guilt. If you've ever felt panicked or ashamed by the number on the scale. If you've ever been unable to BELIEVE in the compliments you receive. If you've ever passed on buying something cute because you felt you couldn't "pull it off". If you've ever taken an impromptu shower just so you could cry freely. If you've ever felt shame for feeling so down when you know that you have loads to be grateful for. If you've ever sabotaged a good thing because you didn't feel deserving. If you've ever “let” one minor negative experience ruin your day.⁣⁣ If you've ever deleted a post on social media because it didn't get "enough" likes. If you've ever relied on validation from others to make you feel confident and happy. If you've ever felt like you don't quite qualify as an adult, let alone a mother. If you've ever held yourself to an impossible standard. If you've ever felt that your post performance on social media is tied to your personal happiness. If you've ever compared yourself to someone else on social media and felt like you came up short. If you've ever felt alone in a room full of people. If you feel like you fail everyday, I’m here to tell you otherwise…. . IM SORRY AND I SEE YOU!!! . ⁣⁣ . I hope you remember this.⁣⁣ A size is just a number.⁣⁣ Food is not your enemy.⁣⁣ Tears don't make you weak.⁣⁣ Motherhood is f*cking hard.⁣⁣ Social media is something you hold in your hand and not in your heart⁣⁣ You are not alone.⁣⁣ You don't DESERVE to feel this way.⁣⁣ You're not broken.  You're not lacking.⁣⁣ You are good enough. You are GREAT enough.⁣⁣ You just need to *remember* it. ♥️ #meshundies #allmyglory #momlife #momofboys #nash #motherhoodunplugged

A post shared by S A M A N T H A (@hilltopmama_co) on

It took her a month before she started sharing her postpartum selfies.

The Brother And Sister 1st Meeting!

Sometimes You Just Ask, What’s Going On Here!

Facebook | The Unmumsy Mum

It Can Get More Real Than This!

Facebook | Autumn Benjamin

Getting some dinner while breastfeeding a newborn and dealing with a swollen body all at a time:  The life of a postpartum mom.

Not Easy, But Beautiful!

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This is #postpartum. 32 hours post birth. The beautiful reality of post birth. A big sore jelly belly, huge postpatrum nappys stuffed with ice packs and a fresh vernex covered babe hanging off my engorged and sore breasts. Isn't it beautiful what women's body's go through to bring forth a little soul earth side ? I am so proud of my body for what it is capable of and I think this is beautiful and needs to be shared with the world. You always seem to see women posting photos of there post partum progress on loosing the belly etc. Thats great good on you but what about embracing post partum and sharing what it is really about. Raw, sore and healing. Yet beautiful oh so beautiful. #dropthecover #stopcensoringmotherhood

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This mom tagged Postpartum as Raw, Sore and Healing. Yet Beautiful, So Beautiful!”

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