Body after babies-#mycalvins are for everyBODY
On January 11th, 2017, I found out that I was going to be a Mom. I still remember all of the feelings and emotions that ran throughout me once those two very dark blue lines appeared on the Clear Blue test I had just taken. I was 25, and had been married just 4 months to my husband whom I had been with for 9 years before that. I was excited, yet frightened, at what to expect. My husband was not home, he was taking a test and his phone had to be off, but I had to tell someone! I needed to share my joy and express my feelings to someone, so I immediately called my best friend, Alexis. In a beautiful coincidence, she told me she was expecting her second child around the same time we would expect our first.
Upon all of my excitement, there were also many fears. Other than the fear of my child being healthy, this specific fear that I experienced is the reason I’m writing this blog in the first place. It is the reason why I planned this photo shoot, and why this photo shoot has remained so special and dear to me.
For years I’ve experienced self-confidence issues prior to pregnancy. I have went through weight gain and weight loss over the years, and although I worked out 5 to 6 days steady each week before becoming pregnant, I still struggled with my body. I was never happy with how I looked, because to me I didn’t hit the expectations in today’s society of what a perfect body should look like. I However many times was told that I was skinny, I still always felt that my body wasn’t considered perfect to the public eye and I couldn’t approve of my own body image. I became obsessed with the fact that I wanted to look like the celebrities with their perfect bodies posted and advertised on social media or in the Calvin Klein ads. And then well I became pregnant…
I still remember being in the shower shortly after finding out that I was pregnant, scared of the body changes I was about to experience. I was a mix of emotions, mostly being excited to see how cute my baby bump would look, but then I immediately turned to the negative thoughts of weight gain, stretch marks, varicose veins, and loose skin. Thoughts that an expecting mother should not be having… Why would I be thinking of something like that? I started to think about how I would be viewed by the public. I started to think about how my body will look even more different than it appeared now, and how to many I would look worse than I already did. I wouldn’t even compare to how celebrities appeared in magazines and on social media. Again why should any expecting mother or woman feel this way. Why are we expected to look perfect before and after having a baby? This is our generation and those before us, we as women are expected to look a way, and pregnancy would put me outside of the mark.
From the time we are little girls, we’re barraged with images about the perfect woman. From Barbie dolls to supermodels, women are only as beautiful as others let them feel. Girls bully other girls for their hair or weight or being too tall or skin color. It happens every day. When a super fit Lady Gaga took the stage at the Super Bowl, women everywhere were told how fat and out of shape she was. As soon as a public woman has a baby, a month later, they’re on in magazine talking about how they lost the baby weight, followed by enough rules and diets to make your head spin. Their photos are heavily edited, removing every stretch mark and ripple that would have told the amazing journey her body had just gone through to bring life into this world.
To me, it’s those ripples and veins and stretch marks and differences that tell the real story. And while many of us are so uncomfortable with them, they are perfect and beautiful reminders of the amazing things our bodies have done.
So I came up with this shoot. I chose some beautiful, strong women who had recently experienced childbirth, and together, we showed the world what our bodies have done. We showed our bellies, now stretched, where we used to feel our babies kick. We showed our breasts, now less perky, where our babies were nourished. We showed our hips, now a little wider, where our bodies prepared to act as a channel for the loves of our lives to come into this world.
I chose Calvin Klein undergarments in particular for our wardrobe, because they happen to be one of the designer brands whom I’ve happen to see over the years alter body images to perfection, in which they advertise via social media and on their magazine ads.
I did not retouch a single image in any way that would mask these things, other than the simple color corrections, contrast, brightness, shadows, highlights, and saturation. I wanted to make a statement, and I wanted it to be read loud and clear: no matter what changes your body has gone through in this world, whether from pregnancy, or weight issues, or hormone changes, or otherwise, YOU are beautiful. YOU are strong. And YOU are more than good enough.
I chose post-pregnancy in particular to document this because it was a time that I personally went through the biggest change my body has seen. But my message is meant for anyone who doesn’t feel like they are beautiful enough. You are.
I dream of a day when images of all people are untouched to “flatter” their imperfections. Instead, let us embrace them. Let us show the world what are bodies have done. Every stretch mark and dimple of cellulite is a story about where you have been. Be proud of where you have been.
If I have inspired at least one person out there to walk with their head a little higher, then this story is a success.
And Mothers, be proud of your “mombods,” because they tell a story so many others wish they could tell.
xoxo- Corianne Stewart
A special thanks to the creative women who dedicated their time and talent for this shoot<3.
Camille O’Malley
Owner of Dahlia Salon Bridgeville, PA
Hair Stylists/Makeup Artist
Contact: @beautyby_camille 412-926-5193
Danielle Noszka
Esthetician 412-377-5503
2017 graduate of South Hills Beauty academy. Licensed esthetician with a strong interest in skin care and makeup. Pittsburgh born and raised, and proud owner of an English Lab named Duke.
Allison Klemmer
Teacher at Bella Capelli Academy School- Pittsburgh, PA
Jordan
Teacher at Bella Capelli Academy School- Pittsburgh, PA
It’s perfect!
Stunning just Stunning!! EVERYONE of you look perfectly beautiful!!
I absolutely loved this peice! Great job ladies!
I, as a new mom, didn’t feel confident with my new body for the longest time, just recently I have grown to love my new shape! It’s mamas like you that will change the perception of what we are supposed to look like after baby! Thank you for dedicating this shoot to moms like us.
-Bridget (1st time mama)
Thebreastfeedingmommy.com
Looking at this gave me goosebumps! Every single one of you are incredibly beautiful, and to know that you all recently gave birth, makes you even more so! Fantastic!
ALL OF you ladies look AMAZING!!!!!! Holy heck!!!!!!
This is beautiful what an amazing group of women !!!
Absolutely beautiful, this is inspirational & should be featured in a magazine. I’m a 26 year old mother of a soon to be 12 year old young man. I went through these body changes becoming pregnant at 13 years old, & having my son at 14 years old. I’ve struggled and still struggle with the fact of having my stretch marks, & cellulite. I never had the chance to have that “perfect” body a young woman “should” have. But after reading this, & knowing what I went through at such a young age, I should be happy with the skin I’m in. Having a child is a blessing, a miracle and not everyone gets to experience that. I want to thank you for what you’ve done Corianne, because this truly is inspirational & just lets us moms know that is it ok to be perfect in your own skin. Thank you, I absolutely adore this!
Thank you Justine, I would love if it was featured in a magazine!