A Mother of 5 Posted Her Belly Photo to Prove the Female Body Is Always Beautiful, and the Support She Got Is Immense

Diets, botox, outfits, and hairdos. Sometimes it feels like the world is too shallow, and people who don’t fit the mold are severely judged. But most of the time this blinds us to the truth that beauty is something deep, not superficial, and this mama of 5 is proving this by unapologetically showing her postpartum body to the world.

Let Bright Side introduce you to Brenda Stearns: mother, influencer, and role model.

Brenda Stearns is originally from Mexico but moved to the US years ago. By a lucky mistake, she once texted the wrong number and ended up marrying the guy behind the phone. Today they live in Ohio and Brenda shares her happy life surrounded by diapers, homeschooling, and 5 kids on Instagram. She was living a happy life until depression came her way.

She had had her 5th baby and was suffering from postpartum depression. 3 months had already passed, but her body wasn’t returning to her pre-baby shape. She didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin and felt unhappy. That was until she decided to stop focusing on emotion and start focusing on reality. “The reality is that my body is strong and beautiful...and so is yours,” Brenda posted.

She took the shot above and posted it on social media. “I took this photo to remind myself that it doesn’t matter what our bodies look like at this present moment — it’s time to celebrate our own beauty!” she shared. Most of us would find that inspiring, but many called this woman disgusting for showing off her maternal body.

She wasn’t belittled by the mean comments. Instead, she started a movement to raise awareness about the beauty of motherhood. Women have praised her for the strength and motivation she gives them and for the work she’s been doing to normalize the postpartum body. “You’re amazing, mama!” is a regular comment on her posts. She now has more than 106,000 followers as of March 2022 who are eager to listen to her advice, motivation, and stories about her kids.

But one of the most meaningful messages she’s trying to pass through is to remember that kids look at their mamas as a whole. “They know our hearts and love us unconditionally. And that is all that matters”, Brenda states. Judgemental comments are worthless compared to that.

In a time where beauty standards seem to be a rule, it’s always good to hear the story of a brave woman who defies them. What would you say to moms around the globe who feel a bit dissatisfied with the way they look? How would you convince them that their body is proof of their love? Write it in the comments below!