Daphne Oz Nails The Reality Of Postpartum Bodies: ‘There Is No Bounce-Back’

We love it when a celebrity mom gets real about living that #NewMomLife

Scrolling through postpartum photos of celebrities on Instagram can make the average, non-celebrity mom feel like she can’t relate. There are lots of postpartum body photos out there that feature moms strategically posed in great lighting, looking refreshed and renewed and not at all like the rest of us.

That’s not the case with Daphne Oz, one of the co-hosts of The Chew and daughter of Dr. Oz, who recently shared a photo of her postpartum body, seven weeks after giving birth to her third child.

“Seven weeks postpartum and still looking three months pregnant,” she wrote in the caption. Who among us can’t relate?

In this picture, Oz has the same facial expression and body language many new moms can relate to. Her words, however, are what truly make the post.

“There is no bounce-back, it’s all onwards and upwards,” she writes. You hear that, moms? There. Is. No. Bounce. Back. Not at seven weeks postpartum, and honestly — not ever. Your body is forever changed. Why are we always so intent on getting “back” to what we looked and felt like pre-baby? That’s a pretty tall, practically impossible order.

“Every day has moments of total splendor and also a decent number of WTFs. I especially want the new mamas out there to hear that, because we see so much of how glossy motherhood can be and not enough of how real 3D life is always complicated (and better for it).”

She’s absolutely right. All those well-lit, well-crafted images serve a singular purpose: to convey a particular image. A well-crafted image doesn’t have to be based in accuracy or truth. In fact, it’s more often than not intentionally designed that way.

“Your experience will be just right for you. Prepare to be amazed by some things and horrified by others.”

I remember feeling both of those things about many components of new motherhood. My “new” body, my new bodily functions. My daughter’s bodily functions. All of it was amazing and horrifying and beautiful and unknown. Daphne Oz (who has now inspired me to add some nicer underwear to my elastic-less Costco pile) hit the nail on the head here.

After all, she writes: “Motherhood is as complex and wonderful as the woman.”