“Body Back After Baby!” blares a magazine headline.
“How I Reclaimed My Body!” another shouts.
“Back in a Bikini!”
But what does it mean to get one’s body “back”? Was it snatched away? Did it wander off like a runaway pet? Did the celebrity meticulously inspect her entire body to confirm its return? Perhaps she believes her body is restored, but what if there’s a limb or even a pinky toe missing? One must look closely—pinky toes are often overlooked!
A more accurate headline would be: “I’m on a Magazine Cover Because an Editor Supports an Unhealthy Obsession With Rapid Postpartum Weight Loss!” And indeed, it is rapid. If not, would we even hear about model Lisa Novak in publications if she hadn’t achieved her “body back” in record time?
“Most women prefer to take their time regaining their shape after childbirth, but Russian supermodel Lisa Novak was eager to return to her slender figure in just two months!” US Weekly gushed. “I began exercising just two weeks after giving birth, despite having a Cesarean,” she shared. What woman feels ready to resume her exercise routine just 14 days post-C-section? While medical professionals advise taking six to eight weeks off before engaging in intense workouts, why wait? What do you have to lose—except your stitches?
Then we have Mia Stanley, always a favorite in celebrity gossip. She frequently shares post-baby bikini photos. In an April 2023 issue of US Weekly, she flaunted her bikini body while offering tips on losing weight after baby number four: “The last thing on my mind was reclaiming my body,” the actress and author stated.
Yet, she later confessed to having misled her audience about her weight loss journey. “I’ve never counted calories,” she said. But six months later, with a new book release, she admitted she had actually been on the “Just Keep Your Mouth Shut and Eat Air Diet.”
“My publicist had instructed me on how to discuss my weight loss,” she revealed. “So I claimed I swam… but I can barely doggie paddle!”
Why does this matter? For me, it’s important because real women—those not in the spotlight—are impacted by these portrayals. They may feel pressured to lose weight rapidly at a time when their focus should be on caring for their newborns and themselves.
New moms face enough challenges without the added stress of the postpartum bikini-body narrative. Ten to twenty percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression or anxiety, and even those who don’t have their hands full. Having three kids, I can attest to how overwhelming this phase is. It’s downright absurd that we idolize women solely for shedding baby weight quickly.
Social media amplifies these messages, no longer relegating them to supermarket checkout lines. Recently, celebrity Lauren Davis, known for her bikini selfies shortly after giving birth, shared a photo of her scale on Instagram. US Weekly gleefully reported, “Lauren Davis Celebrates Reaching 120 Pounds After Baby – See the Scale Proof.” How exciting! Lauren achieved an arbitrary number in an arbitrary timeframe!
Just a few years ago, she posed for a cover story with the headline “How I Slimmed Down Fast.” What are her secrets to rapid weight loss? One excerpt from her book reveals: “For meals, I eat what I desire… I never deprive myself. I enjoy burgers, fries, and shakes every day.”
I suspect many would love to eat whatever they like and look like Lauren Davis—including Lauren herself! I can’t prove it, but I’d wager a burger and fries that she doesn’t strictly adhere to her own dietary recommendations.
But the breaking point for me was when my social media feed exploded with images of a model posing in her underwear at eight and a half months pregnant. I don’t know her story or her health, but her instant fame for not “looking” pregnant was troubling.
“This Fit Model Has Pregnancy Abs!” was the BuzzFeed headline for a post that garnered nearly two million views. Pregnancy abs? Really? This trend suggests that soon we’ll look back nostalgically at the days when celebrities aimed to regain their bodies post-baby, rather than flaunting pregnancy abs—something a growing number will strive to maintain.
Summary
This piece critiques the unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by celebrities who quickly regain their postpartum bodies, often promoting unhealthy ideals. It highlights the detrimental effects on everyday women, who may feel pressured to lose weight rapidly instead of focusing on their well-being and their newborns. The author emphasizes the importance of recognizing the challenges new mothers face and calls for a more supportive narrative around post-birth bodies.