Photo: Sophie Mayanne/Mothercare
In an effort to “normalize their experiences,” the U.K. parenting companyMothercare launched a new ad campaignfeaturing real mothers and their babies — scars, stretch marks, bumps and all.
Mothercare’s Body Proud Mums Campaign.Sophie Mayanne/Mothercare
And 84 percent agreed that celebrities and brands should showreal, unretouched postpartum bodies— which Mothercare decided to do.
Photographer Sophie Mayanne said that the photos show the beauty of growing a child.
“The images depict the raw and incredibly emotional experience of childbirth,” she said. “The aim is for mums of all shapes and sizes to be able to identify with these photos in one way or another, and to feel more confident with their imperfections.”
One of the women featured in the ad campaign, Tina, said that she feels pressure to “bounce back” everyday.
Another mom, Harriet, said that she “struggled internally” with her body image but she’s since embraced herself.
“I am proud of my body, but I have pregnancy weight to lose — but, I’m okay with it taking time,” she said. “I expected to feel the need to lose it all at once, but I’m okay with it. I have a scar on my stomach from a hernia operation, but I quite like it. I have it because of [her son] Teddy.”
Sabra said that seeing her body change so significantly was difficult at first.
“Having been a small size ALL MY LIFE with a flat belly and slip legs and arms, I did feel under pressure to ‘bounce-back’ to my pre-birth body,” she said. “Some people laughed at my new body and I felt insecure. I did feel embarrassed and I tried to hide my body. Then I realized that the changes are normal. My body doesn’t have to ‘bounce-back’ to my pre-birth body as long as I’m healthy.”
Nardy, a mom of six, said that she’s happy to be her own person.
“I don’t measure up to what society tells me should be the ideal,” she said. “I feel people need to put less pressure on mums to go back to their previous bodies before the babies and worry about their overall health mentally, emotionally and physically, to live a fulfilling life in order to give love and care for the new life.”
“I’m not represented, as most mums in the media are skinny and go back to their pre-pregnancy bodies,” she continued. “But it doesn’t matter — I am at peace with my body and I’m grateful for it.”
source: people.com
