Post-Baby Pressure to Lose Weight in Hollywood
November 7, 2013
Any woman who has gone through a pregnancy can attest to how much your body changes in the process. Everything seems to get bigger – from your breasts to your hips to your belly. Once the baby arrives, life revolves around caring for this infant and the fatigue that accompanies midnight feedings and colic doesn’t typically leave a new mother feel like hitting the gym.
While we have seen trends change with actresses being able to bring their young children on-set, there still is this unrealistic pressure on public figures to regain their pre-baby shape in record time. Stars such as Hilary Duff addressed the bullying head-on and re-emphasized the importance of losing pregnancy weight in healthy ways but that hasn’t stopped others from being targeted.
Jillian Michaels
If you’re surprised by Jillian Michaels being on this list, it’s likely for two reasons. The first is that Michaels is the ultimate fitness guru and the other is that she became a mother but she was never actually pregnant. Instead, she adopted one child and her partner gave birth to the other. After welcoming this brood, Michaels was interviewed by Suze Orman who said “you’re chubby! You look like a mommy now!” Michaels then conceded that she was “five pounds heavier” but that part of her really likes it.
Jessica Simpson
When Jessica Simpson was pregnant with her first child, she noticeably gained a lot of weight which wasn’t all that surprising since her weight has fluctuated regularly over the years. Right after giving birth to daughter, Maxwell Drew, she teamed up with Weight Watchers to show just how fast a new mom can lose weight. Things took a surprising turn, though, when Simpson revealed that she was expecting a second child before reaching her weight loss goal.
Kim Kardashian
The most common target of recent bullying was Kim Kardashian. The world was stunned when Kanye West announced that Kim was pregnant with his child and immediately, she faced extreme criticism and scrutiny. During a recent appearance on the Tonight Show, the reality star said: “It really hurt my soul, like it changed how I am in the public a little bit. I was gaining weight because I was pregnant and it was really hard to read all these stories and hear all these nasty things.” As a result, she’s been trying to prove herself by sharing photos that demonstrate her 50 pound eight loss since giving birth to daughter, North, in June.
Kate Middleton
The wife of Prince William was really thin before she got pregnant and seemed to keep weight gain to a minimum while she was expecting. When Kate Middleton emerged from the hospital carrying Prince George a day after giving birth, people were shocked and (mostly) pleased that she showed her lingering post-baby bump without hesitation. Less than four months later, magazines are declaring her as looking “thinner than ever.” It’s unfortunate that something as personal as her body is even a matter of discussion.
When it comes to a woman’s recovery after giving birth, it really shouldn’t be anyone else’s business. So many factors are at play and no two pregnancies are the same. If you find yourself feeling tempted to comment on a new mom’s weight, stop yourself and find something positive to say. We are under enough pressure, a little kindness can go a long way!
