The Mom Bod vs. The Dad Bod: Reframing How We Celebrate Women’s Bodies After Birth

Dad bods have become a cultural icon — a symbol of masculinity that's almost celebrated as a rite of passage. Phrases like "working on your dad bod!" are met with smiles, and the dad bod is embraced as a natural part of fatherhood. But here's the question: What made that man a "dad"? A woman. Yet, while dad bods are celebrated, women’s post-pregnancy bodies are often criticized or overlooked.

Ads constantly urge women to "get your body back" to its pre-pregnancy weight. But let’s be honest: Even if a woman reaches that weight, her body will never be the same. It’s not just about the number on the scale — everything sits differently. Your body has literally been altered in ways you can’t undo. And why can’t that be okay?

Why don’t we tell women, “Your body is incredible — you grew and birthed a human”? After all, we did. We carried life for months, then brought that life into the world through hours of labor, the intensity of childbirth, possible surgery, and a recovery that includes pain, exhaustion, and deep healing (physical and emotional). Many of us also breastfeed, another monumental task. Forget the myth that breastfeeding helps you lose weight — I was constantly hungry and thirsty, snacking like it was my job. My body, already transformed by pregnancy, was further altered by nursing, and my breasts changed in size, shape, and function.

But here’s the truth: I don’t feel proud of my postpartum body. No matter how many people tell me I look good or how hard I try to remind myself of all my body has accomplished, I still feel uncomfortable in my own skin. Clothes don’t fit the same, my physical appearance has shifted in ways I didn’t expect, and I can’t help but feel self-conscious about it. This is a mental game for all of us. It doesn’t necessarily matter how many compliments I receive — it’s truly about how I see myself.

Why does this body, the one that carried and nurtured two children, still feel like something to hide? Why are we conditioned to only celebrate women whose bodies seem untouched by motherhood? The truth is, I want to embrace my body, but I’m still figuring out how to. I want to feel confident in this version of myself, the one that has done the extraordinary work of creating life and nurturing it.

It’s time for us to rewrite the narrative. It’s up to women to change the story, to take charge of how we view ourselves and each other. It starts with us. I’m going to do my best to be more body positive, to truly embrace my postpartum body, flaws and all. Won’t you join me Motherhood? Let’s celebrate the strength, resilience, and beauty of our bodies, not just how they look, but what they’ve accomplished. We deserve to see ourselves as powerful women - because we are.