Millie Mackintosh has opened up about her post-pregnancy body in a candid post.
The former Made In Chelsea star took to her Instagram page with a photo of herself in her underwear holding her newborn daughter Sienna, who she welcomed back in May with husband Hugo Taylor.
Millie, who has long been an advocate of living a healthy lifestyle and balancing both a nutritious and a good exercise routine, opened up about how, while she has ‘no intention of rushing’ to fit into her pre-pregnancy clothes, she is not ‘totally happy and at one’ with her post-pregnancy body.
‘With Sienna nearing 10 weeks old nothing has given me more purpose than knowing that a small life depends entirely on me to feed and nourish her as she grows,’ she wrote alongside the candid photo that she shared with her 1.3million followers.
‘I try to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle and I count myself lucky that throughout my adult life I’ve felt and identified as pretty body confident but now all that has changed along with every other aspect of my life, which makes me look at my body in a totally new light and it’s been a big adjustment!’
Opening up about the changes, Millie continued, ‘Fitting into my pre pregnancy clothes seems a long way off and I have no intention of rushing into ‘getting my body back’ but it would be a lie if I said I feel totally happy and at one with my body post pregnancy.
‘The process has been made a lot harder by some overly strong and hurtful comments online about my appearance (as much as you try and ignore them). I’m in awe of what my body has achieved over the last year but I find it hard not seeing the girl I know to be me looking back at me in the mirror.’
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Admitted her changed perspective, Millie went on, ‘I now see photos of myself pre-pregnancy and remember thinking at the time I didn’t like my body at certain angle but now I look back and think I looked great!
‘It’s made me realise how critical I am of myself and how it’s so crucial, as women, that we learn to let ourselves off the hook. My mantra has always been that you exercise because you love your body not because you hate it, so any movement I do now is with the intention to feel good and never to punish myself.
‘Sienna is worth every extra inch, pound and stretch mark. My body made me a Mother and for that I'll always be grateful 💗 #postpartumbody’.
Friends and fans praised the star for her honesty, with the post raking up thousands of likes and comments in just a few hours.
‘Felt and feel exactly the same well said xx,’ commented one, while another agreed, ‘You look incredible & this is so beautiful written! Feel everything you are saying 💛’.
Others added, ‘Well said ❤️❤️ and you are beautiful’ and ‘Such a great post Millie and your body has done the most incredible thing. An amazing role model for your little girl ❤️’.
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‘Amazing!!’ wrote another. ‘Thank you for sharing this ♥️♥️ post natal recovery is so tough & it’s so unfair that as women we are expected to suddenly have a flat tummy after growing a human in there for 9 months.
‘This was incredibly courageous of you to share & it makes me feel so much better about still having a bump at 12 weeks ☺️ you’re a superstar, thank you 💪🏻✨ xxxx’.
