[Postpartum] Loving Your Body After Giving Birth

What would it look like if instead of trying to “bounce back” to our pre-pregnancy frames, we embraced the new changes: stretch marks, jiggly bellies and all? I talk with ash luna, about how they are helping hundreds of people do just that, through the 4th Trimester Bodies Project.

What we talked about:

• How the 4th Trimester Bodies Project got started
• Your body’s not broken!
• Showing the real bodies and beauty of motherhood
• Shedding the harm inflicted by a media culture of unattainable Photoshop’ed bodies
• The transformation that happens when women share their bodies and their stories
• Not something you see every day: non-sexualized pictures of femmes in their underwear
• Every reason for participating is as different as the person behind it
• Honoring your story by honoring your body
• How to be a part of the 4th Trimester Bodies Project
• Evolving into a Postpartum Support foundation

Links for more on postpartum bodies and “taking back postpartum”:

• 4th Trimester Bodies Project
• The power behind the #takebackpostpartum hashtag, spearheaded by January Harshe of Birth Without Fear
• And because sometimes you just need a good laugh, even if it’s to laugh at yourself, here’s Scary Mommy’s take on Postpartum Bodies

Image description: a black-and-white portrait of ash luna, a nonbinary person with short spiky hair, smiling broadly and partially covering their face with their left hand

About ash luna

 ash (they/them) lives in Chicago with their partner, their three living kiddos, and a cute old cat.

They love designing and documenting moments in time— as memories, mementos, proof of where we are right now— and reflecting other humans innate beauty through their lens, connecting and creating community with others, sharing stories and shattering stigmas. They strive to make the body of their work, their art, and their services safe, inclusive, and accessible for all.

Learn more at 4thtrimesterbodies.com or follow the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.