Let’s talk about something that needs to be said, body shaming mothers. Comparing a woman’s “before” photo to her “after baby” body as if her worth is tied to how quickly she “snaps back.” Making comments like “You’ve let yourself go” or “What happened to your body?” is not just rude. It’s cruel, unnecessary, and deeply ignorant.

Childbirth changes a woman’s body in ways many people will never understand, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Stretch marks, weight gain, sagging skin, fatigue, hormonal changes, and even trauma are all part of the journey for many mothers. And you don’t get to police how they should look afterward.

If you’ve never had a child, you simply do not understand what it takes. You don’t understand the toll it takes
, the mental shifts, the sacrifices, the constant pressure to hold everything together. So no, you don’t get to speak on a mother’s appearance. And even if you’ve had one child or five and everything “bounced back” perfectly for you, that still doesn’t give you the right to make another woman feel small for not having the same experience.

Every journey is different. Every body is different. And some mothers are dealing with things they can’t even speak about, anxiety, postpartum depression, trauma, self-doubt, all while trying to show up every day for their families.

So whether you’re a fitness coach, influencer, feminist, or motivational speaker, keep your unsolicited opinions to yourself. Uplifting women doesn’t mean criticizing them first. There’s no prize for shaming someone into a gym membership or forcing them to explain why their body looks different now.

The truth is: motherhood is a full-time, all-consuming experience. And instead of tearing women down over how they look, how about we give them credit for what they’ve survived?

They carried life. They gave birth. They are raising the next generation, often while trying to piece themselves back together. That alone deserves respect.

So next time you feel tempted to make a snide comment or post a “glow-up” comparison with judgment in your tone, pause. Think. And do better.