'Raise your hand if you didn’t know you’d be changing your own diapers too:' with her extraordinary bravery, American model Ashley Graham broke the ice on Instagram, and frankly spoke out about all the little post-pregnancy 'surprises.'
Discover our latest podcast
View this post on InstagramRaise your hand if you didn’t know you’d be changing your own diapers too🙋🏻♀️ After all these years in fashion I never could’ve guessed that disposable underwear would be my favorite piece of clothing but here we are! No one talks about the recovery and healing (yes even the messy parts) new moms go through. I wanted to show you guys that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies! It’s been tough, but my friend Chelsea @cmrh and ceo at @fridamom is making waves and starting honest conversations. It’s unbelievable the obstacles we still face talking about what women really go through. All their stuff she sent me has been a life saver.
Drew Berrymore also spoke out, and candidly shared her painful postpartum experience on Instagram:
View this post on InstagramI go up and I go down. The rollercoaster of my body is a challenging, but beautiful ride. I made two kids. The single most important purpose for me being on this planet is for them! It is a true miracle I was able to have these two girls. So whatever the aftermath on my body, well bring it on! That said, there have been times i have stood in my closet and just cried. Hated getting dressed. Didn’t feel good! It takes so much for me to look decent. I have to eat just right and Work my ass off! I cannot fight the fact that I have the propensity to be the Pillsbury dough boy! (Now all I can think about is crescent rolls) So DON’T Be fooled by what you see when people are thin right after baby. Don’t compare yourself to the magazines and the red carpets. If I looked decent on anything I have done since I had my two kids, I have clawed my way there. You can too! However, it is hard to sustain and can take a lot of the joy out of life with food. But not anymore. NOW I have found that elusive B called BALANCE. 45! It only took 45 years to find myself. Right where I am supposed to be. And it’s not perfect. But it’s me. And most importantly, I want to share it with you. Ps this is the power of @marniealton, she’s the one who helped me be @santaclaritadiet ready! #WELLNESSWEEK
According to the site familydoctor.org, the 'postpartum' period lasts between 6 to 8 weeks, depending on breastfeeding. What are the symptoms? Surprising episodes of bleeding, bloating, sore genitals, haemorrhoids, urinary leaking... The list is long and sometimes unexpected by young mothers.
On Instagram, some mothers, unknown to the general public, also broke these taboos and dared to open up about the topic.
Mothers in the making
One of these mothers is Illana Weizman, a doctoral student, a feminist, and currently 'mother in the making,' as she explained on her Instagram profile, which has more than 2,000 followers. Personally affected by the ridiculous censorship of an Oscar advertisement, as well as by Ashley Graham's post, this young mother also spoke out, while proudly wearing her diaper:
'Here I am, wearing an adult diaper, soaking up the blood that's been leaking for days and weeks, with my belly still swollen, my uterus still enlarged, the contractions that are gently putting it back into place, my bluish legs, the stitches that pull with every move, the inability to sit up without pain, the burning during urination, the feeling like I've been run over by a steamroller'
View this post on InstagramLe rapport au corps post accouchement... Sujet particulièrement sensible. Une femme vit souvent assez mal son corps cristalliser les effets de la grossesse. Et c'est normal, après avoir passé 9 mois à prendre du poids, voir sa peau se distendre et même prendre des vergetures à de quoi déstabiliser les plus confiantes d'entre nous. Vais-je retrouver ma silhouette d'avant grossesse ? C'est une question que beaucoup se pose. En revanche ce qu'il faut impérativement intégré c'est qu'en post partum la perte de poids doit être le dernier de nos soucis. " Il faut 9 mois pour faire un enfant et tout autant pour s'en défaire." Ce proverbe très connus résume parfaitement la situation post accouchement. Le plus important est le repos, retrouver un rythme, se chouchouter, profiter des 1er instants avec son bébé... Cela peut prendre plusieurs semaines voir plusieurs mois. Bien entendu, avoir une alimentation saine et équilibré, ainsi qu'une activité physique régulière (comme la marche) contribue à l'amélioration de notre santé. Mais n'imaginez pas arpenter les salles de sport sitôt sortie de la maternité et encore moins entamé une diète, une detox ou autre qui provoquerait bien des problèmatiques pour votre santé. Le post partum est je crois l'une des rares périodes où l'ont peux se créer un cocon de repos, de tendresse et d'amour. Profitez-en et vivez l'instant présent 💗 Nous verrons dans un prochain post comment entamer une routine saine et progressive afin de se re approprier son corps après l'accouchement. Vous souhaiteriez témoigner à ce sujet ? Contactez moi en DM ou sur monpostpartum@hotmail.com
Through her powerful post, Illana Weizman invited internet users to care about mothers as well.
