A new mother has taken a bold step by sharing unfiltered pictures of her post-baby stretch marks and curves, aiming to inspire and empower other new mothers who may feel pressured to quickly regain their pre-pregnancy shape. Kristyn Dingman, a 27-year-old mother from Peoria, Arizona, decided to share these images after witnessing numerous new mothers on social media resorting to Photoshop to present an unrealistic image of post-pregnancy bodies.
Kristyn, who is a mother to 16-month-old Benjamin, posted these raw images along with empowering messages written on her stomach, such as ‘Empower women’ and ‘This is post-partum,’ in an effort to combat the societal pressure placed on mothers to immediately regain their pre-pregnancy bodies after childbirth.
Kristyn, who is a mother to 16-month-old Benjamin, posted these raw images along with empowering messages written on her stomach, such as ‘Empower women’ and ‘This is post-partum,’ in an effort to combat the societal pressure placed on mothers to immediately regain their pre-pregnancy bodies after childbirth.
However, everything changed when Kristyn and her high school sweetheart husband, Jeremy, discovered they were expecting a baby in 2017. Witnessing the incredible transformation her body underwent during pregnancy shifted her perspective. Instead of focusing on her appearance, she marveled at her body’s ability to create and nurture life.
“I could physically see my body changing so much and convinced myself that postpartum depression was going to be my new reality. I had a completely opposite reaction to my postpartum body,” Kristyn shared.
She learned to love herself for the amazing feat her body had accomplished – providing a safe haven for her son, Benjamin, during pregnancy. She saw her stretch marks as symbols of strength and power, embracing the changes in her body as positive signs of her journey into motherhood.
For Kristyn, being a mother became a profoundly rewarding and honorable experience, causing her to shift her focus away from societal beauty standards. She realized that her changing body was a reflection of her motherhood journey, and she celebrated the unique characteristics that made her different from the images seen in the media.
However, Kristyn’s journey towards self-love and body positivity did not come without its challenges. Despite her efforts to empower women and promote self-acceptance, she faced criticism from trolls who accused her of promoting an “unhealthy lifestyle” and questioned her ability to find love, despite being happily married to her high school sweetheart, Jeremy.
Kristyn acknowledges that it can be difficult to hear such hurtful comments, but the overwhelming support and encouragement she receives from people all over the world motivate her to continue her mission. She wants to offer positive reinforcement to women, reminding them that their changing bodies are beautiful and that they should not feel ashamed by society’s unrealistic beauty standards.
“We get so much pressure to bounce back after childbirth to our pre-pregnancy bodies, and I can’t stand it. To this day, I get messages from strangers about how I can lose the baby weight and get fit again. I have no desire to ‘lose the baby weight.’ I like the baby weight and the stretch marks my body has after pregnancy. They are a reflection of my experiences that I never want to go away,” Kristyn says.
In conclusion, Kristyn Dingman’s courageous decision to share her post-baby body journey serves as a reminder that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Her message of self-acceptance and empowerment resonates with women worldwide, inspiring them to embrace their bodies and celebrate the unique journey of motherhood. Despite the negativity she occasionally encounters, Kristyn’s unwavering determination to promote body positivity and self-love shines brightly, encouraging others to do the same.
