Challenges of Postpartum Body Image on Social Media
Cat Jane, a fitness influencer with over 130,000 followers, shares the unpredictability of the comments she receives daily regarding her postpartum body.
The mother of two reveals that she has been subjected to bullying about her post-baby physique, including remarks about her "saggy tummy," while others criticize her for appearing "too skinny."
"It doesn't matter what you post, someone always has something negative or not nice to say,"
Cat expressed her desire to showcase her own "imperfections" to provide relatable content for other mothers.
Experiences with Online Criticism
Since launching her account in 2020, Cat, who lives in Dolgarrog, Conwy, has encountered comments online that she believes people would not voice in person.
"I don't understand why people think they can give their opinions. They would never say that to my face. It feels like a different world online and it does upset me sometimes."
She highlighted the negative impact social media has in promoting unrealistic standards, partly due to the prevalent use of filters and photo editing.
"There's a lot of pressure on women and mums to look perfect,"
Cat emphasized that she does not want to make others feel inadequate and has begun sharing more of her own flaws, such as cellulite and a wrinkly tummy, to foster connection with other mothers.
"I would never want to make someone else feel like they weren't doing enough. I've started to share a lot more of my own imperfections just to show I do have cellulite and a wrinkly tummy. That's something that other mums can relate to."
Support Among New Mothers in Gwynedd
In Pwllheli, Gwynedd, a weekly walking group called the Stoll Patrol brings together new mothers.
Vicky Edmunds, who gave birth to her daughter Naya nearly three months ago and is preparing for her upcoming wedding, spoke about the internal pressure mothers often feel.
"You have to try to not put too much pressure on yourself, but you do. The pressure is there because you see all these people online and if they can do it, why can't I?"
"You have to remember how amazing your body is to have created this new little life."
Impact of Social Media Algorithms on New Mothers
Alex Bull, a mother of two and founder of a fitness studio in Cardiff, discussed her observations on how social media influences body image among new mothers.
"The algorithm is cruel,"
Alex explained that the algorithm detects when a user has recently had a baby based on their searches and interactions, then presents images of mothers who appear to be managing everything perfectly.
"It knows you've just had a baby because you're looking at trends and searching 'why's my baby not sleeping?' And so it thinks, 'I'm going to show you a picture of a mum that's doing everything.'"
Her fitness studio uses dim lighting to minimize focus on appearance, and in her mum and baby classes, weight loss is not the primary objective.
"Pregnancy is like running a marathon, your body has been though so much and you can do more than you think,"
"It was important to have a space where [mums] could push themselves safely or just turn up, and that being enough."
