Mum Shares What it's Really Like "Bouncing Back" After Having a Baby

Mel Watts from The Modern Mumma tells it how it really is when it comes to “bouncing back” after having kids.

The mum of four shared her honest post on Facebook and it has gone CRAZY with over 9000 reactions, 700+ comments and over 1300 shares.

Mel writes, “BRB just waiting for my pre baby body to bounce back – two years later (well actually 12 years)

Oh and I’ll also love my old set of jugs to return to say 16 year old ones if that’s okay.

And whilst we’re at it I’d love my teenage mental health to flick itself right in there too, the IDGAF mind would be absolutely trick right now.

ITS NOT COMING BACK, NONE OF IT.

I get so angry and fired up when I see people writing about bouncing back post baby. You’ll never ever ever be the same body or mind after you’ve had a baby.

It’s gone. Just like your ability to stay up all night and feel fresh the next day.

We set so many up for failure because they feel like they need to bounce back, they need to get back to their pre baby selves. Sheesh I’d love my husband to bounce back post birth too, but he ain’t and no one is telling him he should. The reality is that’ll he’ll never be the same either. We either bare the scars on the outside or feel the changes on the inside. Not one person has walked out or been wheeled out of birth the same as they went in. We except we can just go back to our past selves as we cradle our future.

Embrace the what the heck you have, if you don’t like it, fix it. With the right mindset you could love the person you are right now, and if someone’s telling you differently – do you really need that?

It takes time to like you, but once you do you’ll see that you aren’t actually that bad. And in my case you’ll realise your sense of humour and stunning set of abs will get you the tribe of friends you deserve – including being my own friend!”

Her post attracted hundreds of comments with many mums thanking her for sharing her wise words.

One mum wrote, “Thank you for being so honest and raw. This post is amazing and what all mothers need to see. You are a beautiful woman and you have 4 beautiful babies.”

Another said, “We don’t want it back, do we? We want our beautiful children just the way they are. So why dont we love ourselves just the way we are?????”

“F*cking THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! Such a powerful, real and positive message. Needed this!”, wrote anoter.

“This is EXACTLY why I follow YOU! Because this is reality… not Hannah Polites or Skye Wheatley…. Everyone bounces back differently and every women needs to be aware of that.”

“Omg! This is my fave pic ever. I genuinely have severe body confidence issues as my stomach is like this. Now to see other people have similar makes me feel so much better and makes me see it was all worth it (at times) for the kids I got from it. You’re a star for sharing this pic”

Share your comments below

23 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 26 Apr 2023
    11:20 am
And all those photos of celebs with their perfect bodies just weeks after having babies give our male partners false expectations also.

- - rachelvk said
  - 19 Jul 2019
    9:36 am
There is usually so much smoke and mirrors on the internet – hiding the realities of life. It’s nice to see some honesty once in a while.

- - becstalou said
  - 02 Jul 2019
    6:47 am
We need to see more honest real posts we are all on our own journey and not many match the celebrities.

- - rovermum said
  - 26 Jun 2019
    6:03 pm
Go Mel! Real and raw and honest. I would not have the guts to do this, but love that you have.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 18 Jun 2019
    9:25 pm
Such an honest photo! It’s not often you see these

- - Blossom said
  - 18 Jun 2019
    8:32 pm
Being pregnant and giving birth stretches you in more than two areas of your body. You may lose weight (but not immediately as some like to think) and you can’t expect your skin to shrink with no evidence…..especially after additional pregnancies

- - tessie said
  - 18 Jun 2019
    5:57 pm
I love reading about honest Mum’s, not ones who brag about having a baby and then getting her old figure back. Those Mum’s are in the minority.

- - MisChip said
  - 17 Jun 2019
    9:33 pm
We have to celebrate women like this!

- - loumumma16 said
  - 17 Jun 2019
    9:25 pm
Loved Mel even more for sharing this. We all definitely have different bodies but so nice so see one just like mine!

- - nealsq said
  - 17 Jun 2019
    9:14 pm
just regain the weight, no wrinkles then 🙂

- - mom385949 said
  - 17 Jun 2019
    8:23 pm
Nice to see a realistic picture of a mother after having children! Mel Watts you are a star for being real!

- - mom160421 said
  - 16 Jun 2019
    12:20 pm
Never compare yourself to others – it’s not healthy to do so.

- - DaffyD said
  - 16 Jun 2019
    8:02 am
Brave of her to show the reality and more attention should be put on the normal not the Hollywood versions we see

- - curlytops said
  - 15 Jun 2019
    1:12 pm
It is about time social media did more normal photos like this one of real people.

- - Ellen said
  - 15 Jun 2019
    7:44 am
Think we all can relate.
It always helps to think that we’re not our body. Our body is just a tent / house we live in, which can look remarkable beautiful on the inside. Beauty comes from the inside, we’re not beautiful because of our looks.

- - mom265671 said
  - 14 Jun 2019
    10:44 pm
Have to agree, your body is never the same. But it did something amazing

- - mom173854 said
  - 14 Jun 2019
    8:23 pm
It can be hard to accept a new body with loose bits… skin and boobs. But I’d rather that than lose my kids. I don’t want to bounce back. I want to try to eat more healthily, and to grow fitter and stronger.

- - serotonin said
  - 14 Jun 2019
    8:17 pm
Oh wow, looks so much like my belly. Causes me so much worry I will repulse anyone who saw it so I am too scared to even try dating.

- - BellaB said
  - 14 Jun 2019
    7:16 pm
I dislike the expression “bouncing back” in general.
- mom93821 replied
  
  15 Jun 2019 , 9:09 am
  I agree – it is not a nice term – the definition is unappealing too.
- - MrsA said
  - 14 Jun 2019
    6:44 pm
I look better now after 2 children than I ever did before but I have worked very hard. I still have loose skin but I don’t care because I grew 2 huge babies in my belly and I am proud of that.