'There is no shame in gaining weight' Anne Hathaway shares empowering message of post-pregnancy body confidence

Anne Hathaway has opened up the conversation about new-mum body confidence after posting a picture of some altered jeans.

Taking to Instagram to share the candid snap, the mum-of-one said to her followers that although becoming a parent had inevitably changed some aspects of her body, she felt proud and unashamed of her new figure.

'There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever),' she wrote.

'There is no shame if it takes longer than you think it will to lose the weight (if you want to lose it at all).

'There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer's are just too dang short for this summer's thighs.

'Bodies change. Bodies grow. Bodies shrink. It's all love (don't let anyone tell you otherwise.) Peace xx #noshame #lovewhatyouhavebeengiven'

Anne's message left her 5.2 million followers feeling 'inspired'

Anne, 33, gave birth to her first child, a son named Jonathan, in April 2016. During her pregnancy, an insider told E! Online, 'She is still keeping healthy and active. [But] she is taking it easy though as much as she can.'

In May 2016, a month after Jonathan's birth, Anne revealed to Ellen De Generes that giving birth had given her more confidence in her body.

'Being a mom has changed me in a couple ways,' she said. 'I actually... feel a lot more confident.'

She added that she'd told a trainer at her gym that she'd recently had a baby, but didn't quite get the reaction she expected.

'I'm expecting him to say the thing that you say when someone says that you've had a baby, which is "Oh my God. You look great!"', she explained. 'Doesn't matter if it's true. If somebody says "I had a baby 13 years ago" you say "You look great".'

'That is what you do that is the etiquette. So I say to this guy I had a baby seven weeks ago. And he goes "Oh, trying to lose the baby weight!"'

Anne pictured during her pregnancy in January 2016

After she uploaded the picture of her new trousers, Anne's followers were quick to praise her positive attitude, with many saying that the words were 'just what they needed to hear'.

'As someone who never lost the baby weight of 3 kids, thank you,' one wrote, and another agreed, 'So so right! I felt so fat the past few days and feel the baby belly wont ever go'.

'Your little beb is a testament to those wonderful legs,' a third commented to the actress. 'Well done and good going! (Cute shorts by the way!)'