A mum of two has recorded her postpartum baby bump to show the reality of how long it takes for a woman's stomach to regain its original shape.
Julie Bhosale, a mum, author and wellbeing expert, has taken to her blog to reveal the truth behind postpartum tummies and give an honest account of how she felt in the first few weeks after giving birth.
Julie starts her blog post with an inspiringly honest description of how she feels as a mother, admitting that she feels 'tired, broken and sore'.
Speaking about how she sees her body but also what it has achieved, Julie writes, 'I am a mother. I am tired, broken and sore. I have lumps, bumps, marks and jiggly bits.
'I am a mother. I have created, grown, carried and birthed two gorgeous sons.
'I am a health professional. I work in an industry which is largely focused on the superficial. The how you look. Not how you feel. Not who you are.'
Addressing the reader, Julie relays her message that mothers are often made to feel pressured or guilty if their bodies don't 'bounce back' and how scary the change to our bodies can be after having children.
'You live in a society that pushes images at you every day of women who have given birth and just "bounced back" – great for them (truly, that is great, Kate Middleton you are amazing!).
'But this is such a small minority. For most of us, our bodies change, and change a lot. It is scary, it is hard, it can be down right disgusting and upsetting but it is real and normal.'
Photographing her post-baby bump from the day of birth to 24 weeks later, Julie shows the difference in her stomach as time goes on.
Dr. Julie Bhosale
Julie tells her postpartum story in honest and relatable descriptions, admitting, 'Show me that breastfeeding video one last time and I will tear the television from the wall socket – it is not helping. Everything leaks. I mean EVERYTHING. I am a mess of body fluid.'
In words every mother will understand, the mum of two asks 'where has my dignity gone?' when reflecting on the sanitary pads she is having to wear.
'I am wearing not one but two enormous maternity pads, inside granny panties to try and contain the postpartum bleeding. Golf ball sized blood clots keep coming out.'
'Oh yes and somehow I am meant to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes right (hahaha that’s a joke right?).'
But despite the struggles that new mums come up against, Julie urges other mothers to remember, 'you may not look like the next Victoria's Secret Underwear model, but focus on how you feel.'
Dr. Julie Bhosale
'Be kind to yourself and your body, you will look like how you are meant to when you feel good.'
'I am left with the marks of motherhood. A tummy that appears "flat" but has the stretch marks, the skin, the sunken scar and abs which have not yet healed.'
