Having a baby means your body changes, something Danisha Lestaevel knows damn well. She recently shared a real look at what a postpartum body looks like and has gained the Internet’s praise.
After having her fourth baby, Danisha began documenting her post-birth bod on TikTok.
Three days after giving birth, this is what she looked like:
One of her videos, in which she shows her body two weeks postpartum, went incredibly viral. Over 15 million people viewed it.
Commenters were thrilled to see what a real postpartum belly looks like instead of what celebrities show off.
BuzzFeed chatted with Danisha about her decision to share her body on social media.
“I fell into postpartum depression after giving birth, feeling alone. I hadn’t seen anyone with a similar body and didn’t think it was normal to have as much loose skin and stretch marks as I did,” she said.
“It was almost as if my body was foreign to me. It wasn’t mine. I realized that I wasn’t prepared for the bodily changes that occurred after giving birth,” she continued.
“Initially, it was extremely hard for me to show the world my postpartum body due to the fear of what others might think…”
“…But, as I posted, I started receiving positive feedback that made me feel so honored to be a voice for women and showcase what postpartum can look like and that it’s completely normal.”
“I want people who don’t have children to know that not all bodies are the same and that snapback culture* is extremely toxic, as it puts unrealistic beauty standards and expectations on a high pedestal.”
“It takes a major toll on your body and more discussion needs to be in place that speaks up on these natural changes. Loose skin, stretch marks, sagging breasts, and more,” she said.