There’s a damaging myth going around about postpartum bodies. We’ve seen this myth plastered across celebrity moms' social media feeds and in headlines. And admittedly, many of us have pressured ourselves to believe said myth is true. What am talking about? The postpartum snap back body.
The snap back body generally revolves around the idea that after giving birth mothers are expected to “snap back” into their prepartum shape. This is often done without fully embracing the beauty of the body’s postnatal state. However, one woman is fighting that expectation.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Lindsay Wolf got real about how, after more than 10 years, she learned to love her body.
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“On the left is a 23-year-old woman who literally thought she was chubby in the picture shared,” began Wolf’s caption. “She was self-conscious, critical of her physical shape, and always either on a diet or rebelling from one.” In a split image, Wolf shows herself at 23 and at her current age, 33.
As for what brought about her newly enlightened P.O.V.? Childbirth. “It took becoming pregnant and watching my body support a baby, along with a weight gain of almost 50 pounds over the course of 20 years, to realize that my body is just right exactly as it is,” she told HuffPost in an interview.
The actress and mother noted how prideful and appreciative she appeared in a photo immediately after giving birth. She also discussed that cultural dichotomy we tend to have when discussing pregnant women’s bodies versus motherhood bodies.
“It’s funny ― women are cherished while in their pregnant bodies. We are constantly told things like, ‘You’re glowing!’ and how beautiful we are in the state of pregnancy,” she told the HuffPost. “But it seems like as soon as we’ve transitioned into full motherhood mode, the appreciation for what our bodies continue to be capable of ― and how they look ― goes completely away.”
There's no shame in wanting to reclaim your pre-motherhood body. However, in an era where this is often the expectation, it's great to see one woman choosing to go against the grain.