Mum's naked pregnancy pictures are empowering as hell

It's a well-established fact that pregnant bodies are under-represented in the media.

We all know those glowing, airbrushed and touched up pictures of new mums and perfect bumps are fantasy. 

Give us stretch marks, saggy boobs and wobbly tummies any day – at least they're real. 

Mummy Instagrammer, Smacky, is giving us all of that, and it's empowering AF. 

She recently took to Instagram to share a naked picture of her heavily pregnant body. No lighting, complicated poses or filtering, just pure unadulterated mummy body- and we love it. 

 

I thought long and hard about sharing this picture. I took some without my face in them, but I’m not faceless, I’m not invisible and I refuse to hide. I’m leaping into 2018 promising to take up space. Space every human being deserves to exist in. I’m encouraging you to do the same – Clothes optional. I want to see more bodies like mine. Swollen, marked, bruised, stretched, square and low bellies. Curves everywhere and no where at the same time. Breasts that hang, flat, full, small and large. These bodies are everywhere hidden beneath clothes, behind closed doors, itching and hurting, loved and hated, not spoken of or spoken so cruelly about in hushed voices to ourselves and others. Pregnant bodies like mine are extremely underrepresented in the media and in closed social circles. I don’t think that’s good enough. How are we supposed to normalise every one else’s normal when it’s no where to be seen? Well here it is. I’m being the change I want to see. One of my goals for 2018 was to go into it bold, unashamed, unapologetic and brave. So here I am 38 weeks pregnant, sharing, normalising, hopefully empowering others to take up the space they were put on this earth to enjoy and get used to a new normal. An unedited, perfectly imperfect normal. To the concern trolls: Yes I’m married but my husband doesn’t own my body. My body my choice. Yes I have children. One day they might see this, and I want them to know that I made and educated and calculated choice when I shared this picture. That I’m an empowered woman and my body is here for me to do with as I please. It’s not here for anyone else. Except of course those moments carrying them inside this body and feeding them from my breasts. Still my choice. . . . #stopcensoringmotherhood #effyourbodystandards #effyourbeautystandards #takebackpostpartum #motherhood #stretchmarks #pregnant #pregnancy #38weekspregnant #mynormal #unaplogetic #mybodymychoice #unedited #plussizepregnancy #plussizemum #plussizemom #queen

A post shared by Smackey (@worldofsmackey) on Jan 1, 2018 at 12:43am PST

Not only are we loving the impressive snap at 38 weeks pregnant, but Smacky also has an important message to share. 

When taking the picture, she was unsure as to whether or not to even post it: 

"I thought long and hard about sharing this picture. I took some without my face in them, but I’m not faceless, I’m not invisible and I refuse to hide. I’m leaping into 2018 promising to take up space. Space every human being deserves to exist in." 

Pregnant women, she continues, should take up all the space. Like they deserve to- you're literally growing a life in you right now. 

"I want to see more bodies like mine. Swollen, marked, bruised, stretched, square and low bellies. Curves everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Breasts that hang, flat, full, small and large." 

 

This getting dressed thing is happening!! Pretty sure my first month with my first baby was Pjs all day! Although with toddler in tow we’re so much busier than we used to be. It’s Bears last day in preschool today – we’re switching him to a kindergarten that’s much closer and hopefully we’ll get to spend some quality time with each other in the afternoons. I might be kidding myself! Feeling a little broken, been awake since 1am as the small and the big small we’re taking awake and needing mummy turns. Such is the life of a mum with a newborn and a toddler. . . . . . #ootd #wiwt #mumlife #momlife #sotired #postpartum #breastfeedingfriendly #breastfeedingfriendlydress #lindybop #lindyboplove #polkadots #igotdressedtoday

A post shared by Smackey (@worldofsmackey) on Jan 18, 2018 at 3:33pm PST

Real pregnant bodies should be celebrated, not hidden away:

"These bodies are everywhere hidden beneath clothes, behind closed doors, itching and hurting, loved and hated, not spoken of or spoken so cruelly about in hushed voices to ourselves and others. Pregnant bodies like mine are extremely underrepresented in the media and in closed social circles. I don’t think that’s good enough. How are we supposed to normalise every one else’s normal when it’s nowhere to be seen?" 

So instead of just talking about it, Smacky is being the change she wants to see:

"So here I am 38 weeks pregnant, sharing, normalising, hopefully empowering others to take up the space they were put on this earth to enjoy and get used to a new normal. An unedited, perfectly imperfect normal. " 

Yes, mama! 

 

Check out @tvonenews at 6pm tonight! Scarlett and I will be on there having a korero about Gestational Diabetes and Type2 Diabetes. . . . . . #gestationaldiabetes #raisingawareness #tvonenews #superstars #weregoingtobeontv #type2diabetes

A post shared by Smackey (@worldofsmackey) on Jan 16, 2018 at 6:53pm PST

As if she should get any more inspirational, she hit back at "concern trolls" that questioned her choice to pose naked, asking about the impact on her husband and children:  

 "Yes I’m married but my husband doesn't own my body. My body my choice. Yes, I have children. One day they might see this, and I want them to know that I made an educated and calculated choice when I shared this picture.

"That I’m an empowered woman and my body is here for me to do with as I please. It’s not here for anyone else. Except of course those moments carrying them inside this body and feeding them from my breasts. Still my choice." 

All women deserve to be celebrated, big and small, pregnant and postpartum,  and stretch marks are only proof of that.