You may not be familiar with Sarah Collins yet, but her honest perspective on motherhood and societal pressures regarding body image post-baby will make you wish she was your new best friend. Sarah runs a parenting blog called The Everyday Mom, where she shares her experiences of raising her two little ones, Lily and Max, in sunny Australia.
While many bloggers tend to post glamorized snapshots of their post-baby bodies—often accompanied by hashtags like #transformationtuesday to showcase their journeys back to pre-baby weight—Sarah recently took a different approach. She shared a beautiful image from Sunny Day Photography that truly captures the essence of what a typical post-baby body looks like, celebrating it just as it is.
In her heartfelt post, Sarah writes, “Puffy face, saggy breasts, wider hips, and a belly adorned with stretch marks—that’s my reality! No ‘bouncing back’ here!” Some women may find it easy to regain their pre-baby figures shortly after childbirth, but that’s not the case for everyone, including Sarah. Instead of stressing over societal expectations, she embraces her new form. “Honestly, I couldn’t care less! I’m not the same person I was before having kids, so why should my body look the same?” she explains.
Sarah beautifully highlights how her body has changed to nurture her children. “Those sagging breasts fed my babies and gave them the strength to thrive,” she reflects. “Those hips and stretch-marked belly were home to my little ones for nine months.” It’s easy to overlook the miraculous things our bodies accomplish during pregnancy and focus solely on how they appear afterward.
I often joke about how my stomach resembles a crumpled paper towel, but I forget that it stretched for a meaningful purpose—to keep my two little ones safe and warm. My chest, once full and perky, has never fully recovered from the demands of breastfeeding, leading me to wear a bra around the clock, even while sleeping. Yet, that breastmilk helped my babies grow strong, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to get fit as a mom. Personally, I discovered a love for running after having my twins and I even have my sights set on my first full marathon next year. While I enjoy the feeling of working out, I sometimes get frustrated that my body will never resemble what it once was. But Sarah reminds us that we’re all incredible, and we should never forget that. “Some days, I wish my body was a bit firmer, but then I remember all the amazing things it has done and cut myself some slack—maybe even indulge in a cheeseburger because we’ve earned it!”
Absolutely, Sarah!
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In summary, Sarah Collins’ candid post reminds us that not all moms are focused on “bouncing back” after childbirth. It’s essential to embrace our bodies as they are and celebrate the miraculous journeys they’ve been through.