It's been said that pregnancy is an example of an "ordinary miracle," something that is so common that it is easy to forget how incredible it actually is. The pregnant person's body somehow knows exactly how to make a safe haven for a new life. Organs shift, skin stretches, ligaments loosen, and everything from the shape of our eyeballs to the size of our feet can change over the course of those magical nine months. It's no wonder that it can feel daunting to make peace with that changed body once our baby arrives.
There are a lot of ways to be a great mom, and there are just as many ways to figure out how to feel comfortable in one's skin after the dramatic changes brought on by pregnancy. The most important things are to approach the post-baby phase with self-love and kindness, and to reject feelings of shame or the pressure to "snap back" quickly.
One of the positive shifts in celebrity culture in recent years is that more celebrity moms are getting real about their own post-baby body experiences. For some, that means getting back into a pre-baby workout routine and trying to look like their pre-baby selves. For others, that means taking it slow and accepting that their bodies have changed — maybe forever.
Here, we highlight 15 stars who are totally inspirational because they are keeping it honest and refusing to shame themselves. We love that energy!
Gal Gadot
Wonder Woman is also supermom! Israeli actress Gal Gadot had her third baby this year and, as she showed on Instagram, she's just like other moms who have to balance finding the time to workout with needing to take quick cuddle breaks with their kids.
Karlie Kloss
Model mom Karlie Kloss welcomed her first child in 2021, and in August she posted a gym selfie celebrating the return of her abs, five months after the birth of her son. She also posted a hint on Instagram that she's planning for a return to marathon running in 2022. Now, yes, she's an actual model and there is a certain pressure on her to look the part, but she's still inspirational for pointing out that even models need to have patience when it comes to the whole abs-after-pregnancy thing.
Aliphine Tuliamuk
Ok, so Aliphine Tuliamuk might not exactly be a household name, but she is a major force in the world of distance running. She competed in the Tokyo Olympics on the US marathon team, which is impressive enough of an accomplishment. The fact that she did that while still breastfeeding and only seven months after giving birth to her adorable daughter Zoe is amazing!
Halsey
Fresh off an appearance on Saturday Night Live, where she looked snatched and fabulous, Halsey posted an introspective post on their Instagram page, noting that it felt weird to get compliments because "the body behind all those compliments the other night was wearing a custom tailored outfit and lighted perfectly after much testing, so I could feel good and do my job." She went on to add, "I do not want to feed the illusion that you're meant to feel and look great immediately postpartum. That is not my narrative currently."
They further explained, "I will never have my pre-baby body back, no matter how it changes physically because I have now had a baby. And that has altered me forever — emotionally, spiritually, and physically. That change is permanent. And I don't want to go back." Radical transparency is super inspirational!
Robin Arzon
As Peloton users know, Robin Arzon is a major inspiration when it comes to staying active during pregnancy and making self-care a priority after baby comes. Not only did she keep leading Peloton rides her whole pregancy, she introduced pre- and postnatal classes to the app and bike for the first time, making fitness a whole lot more accessible for other women too. She also has posted pictures of herself pumping before teaching spin classes, and we love to see that reality normalized.
Maren Morris
Singer Maren Morris celebrated her son's first birthday in 2021 and also celebrated the fact that her body is still — forever — her body. As she wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of herself looking confident in a bra and underwear set and while working out, "I am never saying 'trying to get my body back' again. No one took it. I didn't lose it like a set of keys."
Sadie Robertson Huff
Duck Dynasty star turned author and speaker Sadie Robertson Huff is another mom whose relationship with her body was changed for the better by having a baby. She shares that pregnancy and the post-pregnancy phase have shown her that her "body is much more than an image. It's a powerful creation that can host and grow a powerful creation. If I ever get tripped up about my body image again, it better be me tripping over the fact I'm made in the IMAGE of God!"
Cardi B
Cardi B is an icon for moms who want to show people that they can look and feel sexy, even after two kids. Though Cardi has shared that she still has loose skin following baby No. 2, she also credits the little guy with a positive change in her body. "Right now, I got some amazing hips due to my gorgeous son because he was sitting so low," she revealed. We love the reminder that all bodies are beautiful and that curves can be celebrated!
Shenae Grimes-Beech
Canadian actress, 90210 star, and mom-of-two Shenae Grimes-Beech got super real about her postpartum body feelings this year. She movingly shared that she was starting her postpartum fitness journey and said, "This is a rollercoaster, ain't it? I don't look like the old me, I don't feel like the old me, and you know what? I'm not the old me." She went on to declare, "I'm not the old me. I'll never be her again. And I'm actually excited to find out who this new me is as I grow into her with my two babies and partner by my side." Self-discovery is always inspirational!
Aja Naomi King
How To Get Away With Murder actress Aja Naomi King started her postpartum journey by posting some real (and gorgeous!) unfiltered pictures of herself on Instagram a few days after birth. She's since shared that she's committed to celebrating herself, writing, "And shout-out to myself because I love cheering myself on and I think it's important that we revel in that kind of self-love to be our own cheering section."
Jessica Szohr
Jessica Szohr, actress and mom of one (a cutie pie named Bowie), has shared that she is thankful for her genes and a fast metabolism when it comes to her body after baby. But she's also kept it real that being a mom in the COVID-19 era can mean skipping the fancy gym and figuring out how to make home sweat sessions work.
Witney Carson
Dancing With the Stars pro Witney Carson faced a challenge unique to celebrity moms: how to have a baby, stay sane and healthy, and get ready to be back on the dance floor and in front of a camera all in the same year. She kept it real and shared that it wasn't always easy to accept her postpartum body, but that she was "learning to celebrate my body the way it is now and celebrate the small successes to a HEALTHY body, spirit, and mind!"
Mandy Moore
Climbing a mountain is always a feat, but doing it only six months after having a baby and figuring out how to pump while setting up a base camp is pretty dang inspirational. This Is Us star Mandy Moore accomplished that this year when she tackled Mt. Baker in July.
Shawn Johnson East
Here's a very important tip: It is totally fine to be inspired by the postpartum workout videos posted by Shawn Johnson East — including some next-level squats with her husband and some crazy splits — but keep in mind that she is an actual Olympic gymnast. She's a good reminder that we all start our postpartum journeys in different places and that nothing good comes from comparing ourselves to others.
Meghan Trainor
There's nothing more inspirational from celebrities than some real honesty, which is why we have to give a shout-out to singer Meghan Trainor, who spoke candidly with People about her struggles with body image after baby and her desire to approach fitness from the perspective of being an active mom. She shared, "I want to run and keep up with my kid. I want to be able to put on a bathing suit and run out there and not be in my head about it." That is a super-relatable starting place for most moms, celebrity or not!
