Just one month after giving birth to her first child, 20-year-old Kylie Jenner has taken to social media to celebrate her post-baby body. The model and Keeping Up With The Kardashian’s star posed in a video for her Instagram stories (watch it above) in a belly-baring black crop top and petite black underwear, proudly captioning the shot “1 monthhhhhh”.
Before we all start talking about the pressure her video places on “real” mums – FYI, she is a real mum – and that images like these just make other new mums feel insecure, there are a couple of take-home points in that first paragraph: she’s 20 years old, she’s on TV and she’s a model.
So instead of feeling negative about Kylie’s post, maybe there is something non-celebs mums can take from it.
As parenting writer and managing editor of Now to Love, Fiona Baker, says: “There are so many ‘new mum’ experiences – and social media shows the full gamut in all their glory, from women with engorged boobs and bright red stretchmarks, wearing nappy pants, to others, like Australian TV personality Rebecca Judd, who gave birth to twins in September and posted a swimwear selfie on Instagram in October.
“Women have different post-baby experiences with their bodies, so let’s just celebrate motherhood, warts (bikinis) and all.”
In that spirit, here are some of the thoughts the Now to Love team had when we saw Kylie Jenner’s video.
Having babies young is better for the body’s recovery
Young bodies (20-25 years) are physically primed for pregnancy. At this age fertility is high and the risk for complications such as gestational diabetes is low. The body has also experienced fewer changes and fluctuations, and therefore returning to your pre-pregnancy shape is easier.
“Younger women have an easier time regaining their pre-pregnancy body because their fascia—the layer of tissue that covers the muscles and acts as a sheath to keep our waistlines compact—have not been stretched out by previous pregnancies and/or weight gain,” Lindsay Brin, author of How to Exercise While You’re Expecting told Fit Pregnancy.
However, stretchmarks can happen at any age…
Being a celeb Kylie has more access to fitness help and diet advice
Watching just two minutes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and you’ll witness the reality stars chomping down on pre-packaged salad portions before working out with multiple trainers in their home gyms, while a nanny watches the children. Celebrities have around-the-clock help to keep one of their biggest assets, their bodies, in shape – just ask celebrity mum Chrissy Teigen.
In an interview with the US Today show, Chrissy explained how A-listers have an advantage when it comes to losing weight gained during pregnancy.
“Anyone in the public eye, we have all the help we could ever need to be able to shed everything,” she began.
“We have nutritionists, we have dietitians, we have trainers, we have our own schedules, we have nannies,” she admits of the endless resources available to those in the limelight.
“We have people who make it possible for us to get back into shape. But nobody should feel like that’s normal, or like that’s realistic.”
However, it’s important to note that vigorous exercise is not recommended in the first weeks after childbirth, and even more care should be taken by women who’ve had a caeserean. The Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says this: “Exercise helps you feel good and helps your body get back to its pre-pregnancy shape.
Although your body needs time to recover, some exercises can start the next day (after birth). Even if you are resting in bed, it is important to do deep breathing and leg exercises regularly. Postnatal exercises are important to get all your muscles working again, but take things at a gentle pace.”
Kylie’s body is her currency
Kylie, along with her famous sisters, is known for her body. In fact, a large portion of the Kardashian empire can be attributed to the womens’ enviable curves and flat stomachs. Most mums won’t be relying on the way their body looks to make money.
At just 20-years-old, Kylie’s net worth outranks her three older sisters, Kendal, Khloe and Khourtney. According to Forbes magazine, the beauty mogul has accumulated a net worth of around $50 million. Much of her wealth comes from her make-up line Kylie Cosemetics, which she models herself to her social media following of 104 million. The influential young woman also makes money posing for brands like sportswear giant Puma and teen favourite Topshop.
Plus she’s hounded by the paparazzi and photographed whenever she leaves her house.
Basically, it’s Kylie’s job to maintain an enviable appearance, and this image could well be a product of the pressure she’s out on herself.
