Let’s be honest, giving birth ain’t pretty. Sure, the miracle of life is a beautiful thing and all, but actual labour and the bits straight after are messy.
It’s a rare mama who believes her post-birth pics show her ‘best angle’. And an even rarer mama who posts them for the whole world to see. So we’re sending a post-pregnancy high-five to one new mum for revealing the whole messy business, adult nappy and all!
Helen Turner, AKA The Unmumsy Mum, recently posted the very real, very unfiltered pics on Facebook following the birth of her son Wilf. And she admits it’s one of her favourite photos from the birth.
Standing in the doorway of her hospital room, deflated baby belly on show, wearing nothing but an adult nappy, a messy ponytail and an “I did it” look of tiredness mixed with euphoria, this is new motherhood in the raw.
“After initially thinking I can’t share that … I realised it’s less flesh than it would be if I shared my ‘bikini body’ and represents the postpartum reality so well – I was absolutely euphoric at this point, despite walking like John Wayne and wearing an adult nappy,” Helen writes.
The nappy photo has since gone viral for all the right reasons. Mums everywhere are applauding her honesty and sharing their own post-birth stories while feeling totes comfortable in their own (slightly saggier) skin.
Because, let’s face it, in a world of blood (so, so much blood), stitches, va-jay-jay ice packs and your significant other having to shower you, you just need someone to say that it’s all ok.
Known for keeping it real about life as a mum, Helen also shared this sweet photo with newborn Wilf, taken only moments after his 12 December water birth. She started her blog after first son Henry was born. And the honesty in her stuff is pure gold.
Like Her Comments on Pregnancy…
“Last week, after a shaving session in the shower, where I was trying to address the Chewbacca state of body hair, I was so alarmed by the swollen appearance of things down below that I ran into the bedroom, dropped the towel and declared, ‘My vagina is a monster!’ to a startled James who then had to try to say all the right things when I begged him to have a look at it,” she writes.
And this: “This pic has made me laugh a bit as when I found out we were expecting baby number 3, I promised myself I would capture some slightly more glamorous pregnancy photos and yet here I am, sporting a Ho Ho Ho pyjama top from Christmas 2014 alongside my husband’s pyjama bottoms.”
So forget Beyonce or Kim K, let’s bow down to the new queen of post-pregnancy glamour. Because, when you think about it, posing in disposable undies with a strangely misshapen belly is pretty hilarious. Especially when you’re not the one doing it!
For more reality checks on mumsy post-baby bodies, check our previous article about the incredible photo reminding women that stretch marks are beautiful.
