For this trip, I packed along 3 sets of one-piece swimsuits and only 1 set of bikinis, because I was confident I would end up choosing to wear a one-piece for our island hopping in the end. On that morning, I decided to just try on my bikini for the first time after giving birth, and realised hey, I actually do like how I feel in this. So despite how I’m not bikini ready by society’s standards, I went ahead with it anyway. . This shot was meaningful to me, not only because it was beautifully taken by @boon10, but because for the first time I did not care about how others would look at me in my newly postpartum body. Not the slimmest girl on the boat to rock a bikini, but I didn’t care. Yes, the stretch marks, lose skin and non-defined waistline were all still there (as you can probably see in my last two posts), but when I looked into the mirror, I realised that I did not focus on those parts, but I loved what I saw as a whole- ME. And that’s when I realised that I have completely accepted my new mom bod. It’s crazy how society expects moms to “bounce back” immediately after birth. Nothing that has been stretched can ever be back to its original state, so why do people expect women to go back to their pre-baby bodies? I’ve received so many opinions and comments about how I’m chubby now etc but you know what, I know what my body has gone through more than anyone else, and I’m super proud of what it has accomplished- growing and bringing my two boys into this world, stretched continually for 10 months (twice!). And I am proud that at 4 months postpartum, I am fit, I am healthy, and I feel beautiful. The stretch marks, lose skin etc does not matter to me nor my husband, so I don’t see why I should be bothered by anybody’s opinions. And mamas, you shouldn’t too. Took me a lot of courage to share these photos, completely unedited (only filters), because in a world where moms who “bounce back” receive all the praises, I’m standing with my fellow moms who did not and probably will not ever bounce back. We have done an amazing job and our bodies deserve to be loved and celebrated as they are 🙌🏻