Have you ever noticed that Hollywood is a far cry from the day-to-day reality of most women? Pretty obvious, right? From flashy cars and mansions to star-studded vacations and red carpet events, so much of it seems out of this world and unattainable. Even the people seem out of this world, even unreal. With hair and makeup staff on hand and manicurists on speed dial, celebrities almost always look like a million bucks. For the most part, flawless. This is true even after childbirth.
The reality of childbirth is your body will take a few months to return to its former state but somehow, a few short weeks after giving birth, there’s almost no trace that some celebrities have even given birth. They’re likely there but stretch marks are barely visible. These women quickly return to their size two frame and there’s no sign of their post-baby bump. Many Average Janes are left feeling as though we’re doing something wrong.
Why isn’t my body snapping back quickly enough? Why don’t I have any energy? Below is a list of the differences in recovery. But, we have to remember that celebrities are still just women who experience the same things everyone else does. The main difference is they have access to resources that make their recovery seem quick and easy compared to real life. It’s absolutely natural to take time to return to your pre-baby body.
Pressure and comparisons should be ignored because at the end of the day, every woman is different. Recovery might take a little longer for some. Plus, your body before you had a baby might impact that recovery. So, put down the magazine and back away quickly.
15 Ridiculously Fast Weight Loss
While doctors recommend women gain between 25 to 35 pounds while pregnant, some gain more than that. Keep in mind this isn’t always due to an unhealthy diet, several different factors can add to this. At any rate, it took nine months to gain weight and it’s realistic to think that it can take up to another year to lose that weight. For moms who choose to nurse their babies, dieting isn’t advised since they need the calories to sustain their milk production. All new moms (whether brand new or seasoned) can get exercise when they can but let’s face it, caring for a newborn can be exhausting.
So what gives with celebrity moms who seemingly lose all of their baby weight within a matter of weeks? Take Emily Blunt, who recently debuted her slimmed down, post-baby frame two months after welcoming her second child. Granted, some may not gain as much weight due to access to personal trainers and industry pressure to look a certain way (even when pregnant) so they don’t have much to lose to begin with. I suspect some celebrity moms rely on spanx and in extreme cases, surgery. Kim Zolciak, formerly of RHOA fame, admitted to having a tummy tuck after the birth of her twins back in 2013.
14 Personal Trainers On The Reg
If you’ve recently given birth, then you know that caring for the baby takes up most of your time. Even with a super supportive partner on board, moms are usually the ones feeding, bathing or diapering their baby. Weight loss is probably the last thing on your mind. Depending on individual circumstances finding the time to either get to the gym or make it out the door with your baby to go for a walk might be difficult. With access to the best personal trainers in the world, it’s not a far stretch to think that this access gives celebrities the opportunity to work out to their hearts content. As previously mentioned, industry pressure (and possibly consumer pressure – that’s us folks) may lead them to want to get back into shape as quickly as possible. Their unconventional careers (there’s no 9 – 5 here) mean they get paid when they work. No work means no pay. So the pressure’s on to get back to a place where they can compete for the roles they want.
13 Stretch Marks Don't Happen To Celebrities
Maybe this is due to trick lighting or lots of makeup but it’s hard to find stretch marks on some celebrities. Yes, some non-celebrities are blessed and don’t have any obvious negative physical indicators that show they carried a child for nine months. However, it seems as though celebrities are in bikinis on a beach somewhere or wearing a crop top with no signs of marks shortly after welcoming their baby. Maybe having a makeup artist on call isn’t such a bad idea. Quick touch-ups are just a phone call away.
Some celebrities, like Kendra Wilkinson, have taken to social media to be up front and honest about their postpartum bodies. How refreshing is it to see that? This is great because it shows that not all celebrities are obsessed with their looks when compared to others (we’re looking at you Kim Kardashian) and unfair beauty standards. When all's said and done, some celebrities recognize that they’re ordinary women like the rest of us. The only difference being their huge pay check.
12 Enviable Cup Sizes
If you’ve given birth or know someone who has, then you’ve noticed that as the pregnancy progresses, breasts begin to grow in preparation for milk production. It’s absolutely normal for breasts to sag after some time. This change in appearance isn’t due to breastfeeding but due to stretched skin during pregnancy. While pregnant, women often have to adjust their bra size a few times to accommodate their growing breasts.
After giving birth and the excess of hormones begin to leave the body, breasts begin to return to their previous size, or close to it. It can be distressing to some women to see the difference, especially if the difference is very pronounced. Others just accept the change and come to terms with it. Some women decide to resort to implants.
This is the route that some celebrities also take. Ever notice that many celebrities have breasts that look similar (or better) than when they gave birth? 2016 seems to be the year of see-through clothes. Although it’s a lot to take in visually, many celebrities don’t seem to experience much sagging.
11 They All Have A Crazy Amount Of Energy
With multiple feedings during the night or a cranky baby during the day, many parents are stretched thin and function in “zombie mode”. Have you seen picks of moms like Chrissy Teigen who look fresh faced and ready to face the world? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, it might even have something to do with having to be camera ready because they know their pictures are going to appear in magazine and on websites. They’re dressed well with perfect hair and are out and about. With this picture in your mind, who wants to be seen in their sweats, with their hair pulled into a messy bun and bags under their eyes? The answer is, every woman whose ever given birth (am I right?). Who cares what you look like, right? With spit up on your t-shirt and a little pee on your yoga pants, you can take pride in your mommy uniform.
Having minimal energy is normal. Some moms won’t feel like venturing outside for a while and would rather spend time at home recovering.
10 Support For Postpartum Depression
This is a very real part of postpartum recovery for many women. An estimated 13% of women suffer from this condition. Much like every day, non-celebrity women, women in Hollywood also suffer from the “baby blues”. Fortunately, many of them have been open about their struggles with postpartum depression. No longer is it something that’s ignored and women are forced to keep quiet about. It’s now recognized as a legitimate condition.
Many celebrities have openly sought help (celebrities such as Hayden Panettiere, Brooke Shields and Bryce Dallas Howard) which is encouraging for other women. They get to talk about how its affected their lives and their immediate family. A lot of women suffer in silence, however as a celeb you have the choice to talk about it to millions and get support by millions.
Women who are suffering can now relate to others experiencing the same thing. It’s not something to be ashamed of. Rather, it can be seen as a normal part of recovery for some women. There’s a lot of help available for those who need it so there’s no need to suffer in silence anymore.
9 Celebrity Chefs Prepare Their Meals
Some eager moms spend the weeks leading up to the birth of their baby preparing meals that they then freeze and store. Family and friends may also drop off the odd meal every once in a while, to take the pressure off of the growing family. As previously mentioned, celebrities have access to resources that other woman typically don’t have access to. Resources such as renowned chefs who prepare ever meal. They cater to special dietary restrictions, tastes and health needs. They come up with beautiful and tasty creations on a daily basis. There’s no need to worry about what’s in the fridge since it’s likely always stocked and there’s no need to gather the energy needed to make something to eat (even if it is just toast). All a celebrity client has to do is select what they’d like to eat for the day or week and the rest is taken care of. Wouldn’t it be great to be spoiled this way?
8 They Have Live-in Nannies
What celebrity doesn’t have a nanny? It seems like the norm these days. Birthing a baby is hard work and many moms are short on sleep once the baby arrives. Queue the nanny. They can occupy a baby’s attention while new moms are able to get some sleep or indulge themselves in a spa day or a trip to the gym. Being the nanny of a celebrity is obviously a full time job but it has its perks. For one, they get to travel the world looking after babies and children. But back to reality. Not everyone has access to this. Instead, for most Average Janes, family members can step in occasionally but having a full time nanny that cares for your baby definitely frees you up to tackle other tasks (for example the growing stack of dishes in the sink). It also gives an extra set of hands, someone who has your child’s best interests in mind.
7 Unsolicited Advice
This one seems to happen whether you are a celeb mom or not. It’s no secret that once a woman gives birth, she’s bombarded with unsolicited advice and opinions. This typically come from older women (moms, aunt, grandmothers, etc.). Anything from how often to feed your child, how to cure a diaper rash, or whether or not to vaccinate are closely scrutinized. It seems celebrity moms get this from the world versus just their immediate family and circle of friends. Social media isn’t going away, it only continues to grow and expand its reach. Once an innocent picture’s posted it isn’t long before we all start to hear responses that are usually critical. Why are they letting that dog like the baby’s face? Why’s the baby wearing that? Every parent, no matter your career, should be able to parent as they see fit without legions of people passing judgement. For the most part, celebrity moms seem to take this criticism in stride and continue about their business.
6 Breastfeeding In Public
It seems that one thing celebrity moms and Average Jane moms have in common is criticism over the choice to breastfeed in public. Many celebrities have taken to social media to post pictures of themselves doing something that comes naturally to most women. In some cases, they’re simply catering to the needs of their baby (no matter where they are, at home out outdoors) while in other situations they’re more intentional.
Celeb moms have a bigger audience and bigger platform, therefore taking a stance of this issue can be somewhat easier. Yes, they do face criticism, but it's much easier to speak out when you already have a repertoire of fans. Regular moms unfortunately don't.
They've taken a bold stance in hopes of changing public perceptions of the act. Other non-celebrity women around the world have also done the same thing, but it's never as easy.
Women in general have embraced this act and are working towards normalizing it. For folks who are uncomfortable with it, they’re going to have to work at changing their conviction because this isn’t going away.
5 Thick, Luscious Hair Is The Norm
Once hormones start to leave your body after giving birth, you begin to lose hair. It’s not very pronounced in all women but some start to see thinning. This doesn’t seem to be the case for some celebrity moms. This is probably due in part to having to be camera ready when they step outside, they’re expected to have beautiful, well groomed hair. It’s often styled to perfection making it hard to tell that they’re also suffering from hair loss. Having access to a styling crew has its benefits.
Let’s remember that they’re still just women and likely have days when they don’t want to go to work but have to get out the door. It helps when you have someone who can do your hair and makeup for you. It’s one less thing to worry about and they can be confident knowing that they’re going to look fabulous. In real life, moms have to do the “hard” work on their own. But who am I kidding, sometimes it’s easier to head out au naturel (but decent) rather than worry about makeup and hair.
4 They Can Enjoy Extended Maternity Leave
Of course this is different for everyone and different countries offer varying amounts of time away from work to care for a newborn. Because of their careers, celebrities are more flexible with when they choose to return to work. While some women have to return after a mere three months, celebrities are able to take extra time to rest, bond and refocus. There’s less rush for some. Of course their financial responsibilities are much greater than those of most people but this gives them the opportunity to ease back into work at a slower pace (if they choose). Even if they did go back to work quickly (depending on roles they’ve committed to), they have nannies (remember those?) who can take care of their babies. Unlike other moms who are away at an office somewhere, celebrity moms can have their baby close by at all times. It’s a bonus if they have their own trailer.
3 Fancy Health Remedies Are The Rage
Has anyone eaten their placenta? Does that sound gross? Or does it sound like a great health solution? Whichever way you choose to view this phenomenon, it’s popular with celebrities. Celebrities such as Mayim Bialik and Tamera Mowry have ingested their placenta either frozen and blended into smoothies or in pill form. While there’s no concrete proof related to the health benefits of ingesting placenta, many celebrity moms swear by it. They’ve said that it’s helped them maintain their milk supply or even staved off postpartum depression. Whatever the reason, this sounds like another celebrity trend. While this isn’t exactly a new thing, animals have been doing it for years, it’s only now beginning to gain momentum as more and more celebrities admit to eating their placenta. Although not proven, the health benefits may not be as far fetched as some may think. Since the placenta sustains your baby for nine months, its possible that all of the nutrients it transports to your baby can also be beneficial to you.
2 They’re Out And About Right After
Not to say that non-celebrity moms aren’t also out and about but it seems life in Hollywood means being visible. The more visible you are the more likely you are to move ahead. So the fact that celebrity moms are out and about may have more to do with “playing the game” than just being out to be out. If you follow any of the online celebrity magazines, you’ve likely seen these ladies at film premieres, charity events or just out in social settings. Sometimes they’re even by themselves (gasp!). Whatever the case may be, the rest of us are fortunate in that if we want to stay at home in comfy pajamas while caring for a newborn and healing after delivery (whether natural of via cesarean section), we can. Because of their career choice, many celebrity moms find time (and have the assistance), to take a little time away from their babies to meet the demands of their jobs. Or even just to get a little alone time.
1 They Can Take Solo Trips
This ties into the point directly above this one. Again, it might be due to the demands of their jobs but often times you’ll see a new mom out by herself. Queue the nannies again. As parents, they’re just as attentive as anyone else but are also able to get time away and spend time by themselves. Outside of their work commitments, you can often find a new mom out for a stroll by herself or with her partner while the baby stays at home. Being able to spend this time alone has its benefits since they can regroup mentally before jumping back into the fray.
Moms who aren’t in the spotlight might find themselves yearning to have a few minutes to themselves. The need isn’t always to go out for a walk but often times it’s for something simple, like having a shower or eating something. Usually one parent is back to work after a few weeks and if there isn’t a lot of family assistance nearby, a new mom might have to adjust to having a little less “me time”.
Sources: Womenshealth.gov, Whattoexpect.com, Parents.com