These powerful + honest postpartum photos are changing how mothers see themselves

The Life After Birth Project shows the beauty and reality of postpartum healing

One of the most damaging myths about postpartum recovery is that it is quick. It isn’t. It actually takes about six to eight weeks for the uterus to shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size . The bump doesn’t instantly disappear because it took 9 months to grow. A mother’s body needs time to heal after birth, whether it was a vaginal delivery or a C-section, but too many mothers aren’t given that time.

In the United States, so many working moms are back at their job within five weeks of giving birth, and even if paid work isn’t a factor, unpaid labor and family obligations can have mothers doing too much too soon.

As Diana Spalding, midwife and Motherly’s Digital Education Editor and Birth Expert, has said , “You would never expect someone to clean their house a few days after having surgery, or to run errands when they are getting over the flu—so why do we expect ourselves to snap out of giving birth? Pregnancy and birth are not ailments, but they are the real deal. Be gentle on yourself, and allow your body to heal.”

Mothers should not be embarrassed by their changing bodies

A recent survey found more than a third of women (37%) felt embarrassed by what their body was going through after birth. This is not okay, and it is why we need more projects like the The Life After Birth Project and more companies doing what Knix is doing.

That is why celebrities like Jillian Harris, pictured above, stepped up and shared photos of their own postpartum experiences for the Life After Birth project.

Yes, Jillian is wearing mesh panties and a giant pad in the above photo. But that’s part of the journey and nothing to be embarrassed about.

We need to see our stories represented and know that this is normal.

See the gallery in person

The Life After Birth Project is currently in Toronto but the next stop is Los Angeles on October 24.

The gallery will keep touring the US, too.

Stops are planned in Portland, Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Denver, Minneapolis. if you want to submit your own photos, tag @lifeafterbirthproject on Instagram and use the hashtag #LifeAfterBirth, or email your photos to lifeafterbirth@knix.com.