Mum’s classy response as a woman shamed her postpartum body

"And then she asked the Question".

As a new mother, Kelly Diane Howland was shopping with her baby when a woman came up to her and struck up a conversation. Although initially, it was just small talk and chit chat, Kelly soon realised that there was an ulterior motive when the woman in question asked "Have you heard of It Works before?"  It Works is a "direct selling company that offers professional quality beauty and wellness products" and really, this was the last thing Kelly wanted to be confronted with, having just given birth. Kelly said that she didn't have any issue with the company itself or even the woman as she was "trying to hustle her own living" and Kelly has respect for that. However, she did have a problem with the fact that she felt she was singled out in the Target store, writing:

"But let's not pretend that approaching me specifically was a coincidence. Because it's not like she ran up to every female at Target to hand out her card. But she did come to me - with my baby billboard of being brand new postpartum. "We all know that this culture hammers into postpartum women a lot of physical insecurity about their bodies after delivering their miracles from their wombs. I don't think I have to spell out for a single woman the cultural pressure that postpartum mothers face regarding their physical appearance. We know. We all know. She knew. And that's why she approached me".

Kelly shared her experience as she wants the unnecessary pressure placed by society on women who have just given birth to stop. An extract from her post which you can read in full here reads:

"Can we PLEASE not perpetuate the pressure, the impossible expectations, and therefore keep alive the insecurities that we newly postpartum women face regarding our new and changing bodies as we enter motherhood?".

Although Kelly originally shared the Facebook post in April, it's now recirculating on the internet and if you haven't read it before now, we think you'll find it makes perfect sense. Hear hear Kelly. Main image via Facebook: Kelly Diane Howland