Hotter. Leaner. Fitter. Perkier. Stronger. These are just some of the internal narratives driving mothers post-birth to the brink. In a bid to undo the stigma of postpartum bodies and the pressure of ‘bouncing back‘, Wellbub, a Singapore-based platform helping mums build their pre- and postnatal community has launched The Ruin I Need to Fix.
The unfiltered campaign lensed by Palita Drury features expectant mothers in the late stages of pregnancy and newly postpartum. Here, stretch marks, body fat, scars, cellulite, and perceived imperfections are celebrated and laid bare rather than being retouched or glossed over.
Consequences of policing postpartum bodies
While tabloids and social media seem awash with unrealistic, airbrushed images of motherhood, the move by Wellhub and collaborators aim to normalise the pregnant and postpartum body, removing the pressure mothers face in spending their fourth trimesters rapidly regain their pre-pregnancy figures.
Evangeline Raj, 26, birth doula at Beloved Bumps shares, “It is hard to put into words how I feel about my postpartum body, and it definitely can’t be encompassed with just one emotion. I have a new found admiration for my body and what it has done for my family, yet I find myself constantly longing for my body for what it used to be.”
“I choose to believe that my postpartum body is a work of art—one that is filled with strength, resilience and oh, so much love.”
In addition to caring for their newborn infants as hormones surge and plummet, it’s no wonder body image expectations factor into the global perinatal mental health crisis. KKH reported a 78 per cent increase in postnatal depression diagnoses in 2023 alone. Reports of women struggling to cope and turning to suicide highlight the urgent need for more support during this vulnerable period.
“My whole body has changed beyond recognition,” muses Sophie Blyth, a 33-year-old banking professional. “I’ve completely lost my bum, my hips and ribs feel wider than ever before, my tum is wobbly and I have very few clothes that fit… but my whole life has changed beyond recognition too. I’m now a mummy to a little person who couldn’t care less about what I look like, how much I weigh or what size I am. He loves me because I was and am his home, and always will be, no matter how squishy I might be.
“Whilst I’m still getting used to my new reflection in the mirror, deep down I really am so proud of my “new” body. It grew an entire human and it’s now providing the food for that little human, smothering him in love and keeping me going through the broken sleep and the rest of the postpartum adjustments.
“Society and social media has us new mums thinking we should have “snapped back” by now and that’s just not the reality for the majority of mothers, although we don’t see it or hear about it enough.”
“We need to celebrate the unique journey our bodies have been on and the lives they’ve created. It’s a privilege denied to so many, and we owe our bodies the grace to grow into this new chapter of our lives with kindness and gentleness towards ourselves. We are our babies whole worlds, what is more rewarding and important than that?” questions Blyth.
Rebuild, remodel, reshape
“As a mother currently navigating postnatal depression myself, I know how important it is to share the vulnerability of the journey. To normalise what is totally normal motherhood; to women, “hey, your body has done so much for you and it deserves to be admired—not hated”,” says Sasha Carroll, co-founder of Wellbub.
“In addition to embracing our new roles as mothers, we must also navigate the journey of rebuilding, remodelling, and reshaping our physical selves, often in response to societal pressures.
“This campaign is about cultivating appreciation—for the remarkable feats our bodies have accomplished, even if we may not always love the reflections we see. It’s about acknowledging and marvelling at the incredible journey of motherhood, both inside and out,” says Carroll.
