"I want women to come here to meet other women, to be able to see what motherhood actually looks like. I want to create a tribe, a support system, a validation system, a positive force to combat the negativity that we are being surrounded by."

These are the words of Liliana Taboas, founder of Divine-Mothering.com and the woman who made me feel better about myself at least for today. Divine-Mothering is an online community that aims to share women's journeys through motherhood in all its universal yet wildly unique and individual glory. DM's interviews and portraits are a positive celebration of mothers, but there is also an honesty in the project that I find eminently comforting. I feel I know these women, they are me, and I am them. DM also presents "realistic and intimate photographs of (mother's) postpartum bodies. Photos of women are taken semi-nude and most of them incorporate their children." Taboas has rightly identified that our negative feelings towards our bodies is colouring the experience of motherhood for many women. As shallow as it may sound I spend roughly 20 per cent of my time thinking bad thoughts about my body. On an academic level I KNOW this is pathetic. I KNOW that the important thing is that The Child can run and jump and laugh and cry. I KNOW that my stomach (and ass, and upper arms and back flab) doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things. But understanding these things and changing my thought processes are two very different things. There's one major contributor to the negative body image epidemic: a lack of variety in the types of women's bodies shown in the media. So I am very happy to see *insert celebrity name here* out and about looking radiant after birthing a baby and I am equally happy to see the radiant women of Divine-Mothering embracing their babies and embracing themselves.

"Women everywhere are wanting to see more realistic portrayals of what women’s bodies look like. This project aims to reveal true beauty, real bodies, real women, and real stories. The women participating simply want their voices heard, and their journey celebrated. With the validation that being a mother is enough, womanhood is powerful, and our voices united, we can make a difference for women dealing with body insecurity."

      More info: divine-mothering.com | lilianabeatriz.com | Facebook