16 Celebrity Moms Who Showed What It’s Really Like Right After You Give Birth
Even after having a baby, many women feel societal pressure and insecurity due to the changes that their bodies go through, an unstable emotional state, or other related issues. Fortunately, some celebrities are not afraid to talk about this, reminding us that everything that happens to moms in the postpartum period is perfectly normal and they’re not alone in this.
Halsey
Due to endometriosis, the singer had several surgeries and suffered three miscarriages, but in 2021 she gave birth to her long-awaited first child. Since her pregnancy, Halsey’s body, like most moms’, has undergone a lot of changes, but the star isn’t looking to regain her pre-baby body shape.
“I will never have my ’pre-baby body back’ no matter how it changes physically because I have now had a baby!,” says the singer.
Hilary Duff
The actress is a happy mother of three who talks openly about the truth of motherhood in all its stages from the first months of pregnancy to the care of the newborn. Despite the changes to her body during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as combining work with breastfeeding, Duff is resilient and has no regrets about her decisions.
Ashley Graham
Graham is one of the most sought-after plus-size models. However, she successfully balances a busy schedule with caring for her three sons. As well as talking about beauty standards, Ashley is candid about all the challenges of motherhood, embracing her postnatal body and other nuances faced by young moms.
Gemma Atkinson
The British actress and model, who is a big fan of fitness, decided after the birth of her daughter Mia not to delay getting back into shape and promptly started exercising. However, Atkinson is against all pressure on new moms when it comes to postpartum body “imperfections” and demonstrates, by her own example, that no one is safe from them.
“I hope new mums realise they don’t have to be back to their post-baby body so quickly. Growing a human for 9 months is a big deal and it’ll take longer than a few weeks to get your body back to how you want it,” reckons Gemma.
Cardi B
Not only is the singer not too shy to talk about the changes her body has undergone during pregnancy and after childbirth but she’s also keen on taking advice from her subscribers. “Ladies, how do you guys get rid of the black line in the middle of your stomach after giving birth?,” Cardi B asked shortly after her daughter was born.
Amanda Seyfried
In 2020, the actress became a mother for the second time, but this time her experience proved to be very painful and traumatic due to bouts of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, which she spoke about frankly and openly.
“It’s so traumatic to deliver a baby even if you’re not suffering from anxiety or depression or any kind of mental illness to begin with. Every mother I’ve ever spoken to is terrified of the nighttimes because you put your baby to sleep and you’re just hoping they don’t die in the middle of the night. It’s grim, but it’s the reality of motherhood,” admits Seyfried.
Rachel Platten
The American singer-songwriter has always wanted to be honest with her fans, so after the birth of her first daughter, she started sharing not only exquisite photos on her Instagram page but also candid shots from the life of a young mom.
“Yesterday (going out to an event and getting cute) was empowering but SUCH anomaly and this is way more realistically me most of the past 2 weeks. I mostly just don’t want any other moms feeling less than because of me only sharing half the truth,” Platten wrote under the post.
Amy Schumer
The comedian became a mom for the first time in 2019, but even this major turn in her life didn’t keep the star from making various jokes about motherhood. While other celebrities shared flawless pregnancy and postpartum photos, Schumer revealed the truth of new moms’ everyday life, showing the scar from the C-section, the tedious process of breastfeeding or decanting, and other “charms” of parenthood.
Chrissy Teigen
The star is currently carrying her fourth child. Teigen has spoken openly about the “costs” of pregnancy and motherhood on her social media pages and in interviews. She didn’t hide the fact that she gained weight as a result of her pregnancy, but doesn’t see this as a problem.
“Basically I am 20 pounds heavier than I was before Miles. He’s 10 months old, I never lost the last bit because I just love food too much,” the model once confessed. Teigen is also not shy about demonstrating the changes her body underwent during this time, such as stretch marks.
Jenny Mollen
The American actress, writer, and the wife of American Pie star Jason Biggs is known for hiding almost nothing from her fans. And Mollen has been just as vocal about her first months after giving birth and the changes her body has undergone. She’s shown off a neat scar after her C-section and her imperfect figure and has posted selfies with signs of fatigue on her face, reminding us that billions of moms around the world go through similar situations.
Serena Williams
Serena’s postpartum recovery in 2017 was a long and arduous one, something she was not afraid to talk about openly. With the birth of her daughter Olympia, the tennis player was bedridden for six weeks.
“No one talks about the low moments — the pressure you feel, the incredible letdown every time you hear the baby cry. I’ve broken down I don’t know how many times. Or I’ll get angry about the crying, then sad about being angry, and then guilty, like, ‘Why do I feel so sad when I have a beautiful baby?’ The emotions are insane,” Williams confessed in an interview with Vogue.
Jessie James Decker
The singer-songwriter reminded the moms among her subscribers that it’s totally normal for a “pregnant” belly to not go away for a while after giving birth. She wrote the following caption under one of her candid selfies, “Keepin’ it real! 3 weeks post and I’m still very swollen. The 3rd has been by far the hardest recovery, but I’m feeling stronger every day.”
Jessica Simpson
Simpson is light-hearted when it comes to talking about the difficulties that accompany the postpartum period, especially with the experience of two childbirths under her belt. “Just stretching it out in my rubber corset. The joy of postpartum,” she ironically captioned the photo, which was released two months after the birth of the star’s third child, daughter Birdie.
Carrie Underwood
The country singer became a mom for the second time in January 2019, after trying to conceive for a long time and suffering several miscarriages. Underwood admitted that getting back into shape after this pregnancy proved to be quite difficult.
“I just want to feel like myself again... for my body to feel the way that I know it can. As I was working out today, I realised that for the past 11(ish) months, my body has not belonged to me. It was a perfect home for Jacob,” the star shared.
Olivia Munn
“The postpartum road is rough, but it’s so worth it. My body hasn’t snapped back, but it made this little guy so I just have love for it,” the actress confessed. In 2021, Munn gave birth to her first child with stand-up comedian John Mulaney.
Aja Naomi King
In the TV series How To Get Away With Murder, viewers are used to seeing King in elegant outfits and with flawless makeup. But on her Instagram page, the actress isn’t shy about showing herself as she really is, including soon after giving birth.
“No, this is not a pregnancy ‘Before’ picture. This is the ‘After’. After days of labor. After experiencing what felt like my insides being ripped apart, no lie. After experiencing the unimaginable beauty of childbirth, this is what is left behind. This Gorgeous Body!,” the star captioned her photos, as a reminder that a woman’s body does not have to be perfect after pregnancy and childbirth.
Do you have children? What did you find challenging about the postpartum period?