We love to follow celebrity pregnancies, and it's always so exciting to see the first photos of a newborn baby. But as much as an average mom feels pressure to get back to her pre-baby self after the birth, the stakes are even higher for celebrities who make their living  based on how they look.

Luckily, these days people are working hard on being more positive about their true selves, and people tend to give a mom a break when it comes to getting back into the swing of things. But when the world sees Kate Middleton looking gorgeous hours after giving birth to her little prince, it can give a false impression to moms who think that snapping back is a breeze. When a mom has good genes and they are a super model to start with, it might only take a couple of weeks to get bathing suit ready, but there are a number of celebrities who have proven they are just like everyone else — taking their time to lose the baby weight and focusing on the important things in life. That first selfie after the birth may get a lot of pressure, but when mom has the right attitude, sometimes the message is more important than the image itself, as these celebrity moms have proven.

Here are 20 celebs sharing their first selfie after pregnancy.

19 Chrissy's Asian Pear Outfit

Chrissy Teigen has kept it real for all of us as she became a mother to her daughter Luna a couple of years ago. Now that she has welcomed her second child Miles, she's doing the same — including in her first postpartum selfie. Just three days after the baby's birth, Chrissy posted a picture to Instagram featuring her holding her newborn. She looked gorgeous without a bit of makeup and with her hair pulled back. But all people could talk about was her outfit.

It was a sight that moms were familiar with, but Chrissy gave us a comparison that we'll never forget, holding up an Asian pear in a similar mesh get-up to her own postpartum clothes. 

"If you haven't seen @aliwong's new Netflix special, you are bad at picking Netflix specials #asianpearunderwear," Chrissy wrote in the caption. Her celeb friends chimed in on the post, saluting Chrissy for keeping it real and talking about their own experience with the mesh underwear. They aren't exactly pretty, but they help take care of the mess while keeping our actual underclothes from getting ruined. With Luna playing a toddler-sized harp in the background, this photo is everything. We only wish it gave us another glimpse of little Miles.

18 Serena's Shorts

On the court, Serena Williams is known more for her skirts than shorts, but just two weeks after giving birth to her daughter last year, the new mom flashed a pair in her first postpartum selfie. In the shot, Serena already looked fantastic. She had her hand on her hip while showing off the outfit in the mirror. Considering how great of an athlete she is, the woman definitely has great genes, and her snap back was just out of this world.

Serena had a rough delivery with little Alexis Olympia, so it took about two weeks for her to post about the birth at all. Amazingly, by then she was already in her pre-baby shorts.

We're sure that it took her a little longer to recover from the birth, but it sure didn't take long for her to get back in great shape. We all got excited about Serena getting back on the tennis circuit, since she had won the Australian Open while she was pregnant. But we were surprised to learn that she had another reason to work to get back in good shape. She and her baby daddy Alexis Ohanian got married when their daughter was 11 weeks old, and Serena looked gorgeous in her wedding dress.

17 Jessica Alba's Breastfeeding Snap

New motherhood has all kinds of highs and lows, as Jessica Alba taught us with one of her first selfies after giving birth to her third child, a surprise little boy born on New Year's Eve 2017.

In her Insta story, Jessica showed what it can look like when you are exhausted but have to be on the go, especially when you have other kids and an empire to run. But Jessica could have been any of us, breastfeeding in the dressing room at Target.

She used a funny filter, but that couldn't disguise her tired eyes, so Jessica pointed them right out. She doesn't have a smile on her face, even though we know that she absolutely adores her new little bundle of joy. Sometimes, you are just too tired to do it. Jessica's a great mom. In fact, it was her experience with her first two kids that inspired the products that created her empire, but some days you are tired and even though you can nurse a baby anywhere you want in a Target, you just want to close the door, sit down and rest while your little one eats. It's not always glamorous, even when you are a movie star, as Jessica can attest.

16 Khloe's Workout Journey

Khloe Kardashian has laid low since the birth of her little one True earlier this year. Her baby joy came in the midst of a controversy after videos showing her baby daddy Tristan Thompson with other girls, so it's understandable that she has been private while she has become a mom and tried to figure out her next steps. For Khloe, one of the most important steps was working out, so that's one of the first glimpses we got of her in a selfie after birth.

Khloe recently posted herself in the gym with a little bit of a baby bump remaining. She explained in her caption that she started working out a little more than a week before, after getting the OK from her doctor, and she loved getting back into exercising.

A few years ago, Khloe had a major body transformation that blew us all away. She later said that the gym was her sanctuary in dealing with the stress of her then-husband Lamar Odom's addiction and their divorce. We imagine that her issues with Tristan have her wanting to get back to the gym to help her relieve that stress as well. It's not as much about her physical health as her mental health, and we hope that she finds all of the strength that she needs.

15 Pink's Goals

We love Pink. She's shared a lot about loving yourself, including that amazing speech to her beautiful daughter. We're not surprised that she also had a great message about her postpartum changes. Last year, a few months after welcoming her second child Jameson, Pink said she was #feelingmyself in the gym, even though she hadn't yet reached her goals yet. Her little guy was less than six months old at the time, so she was taking getting to her pre-baby size at a perfectly great pace. Most importantly, she had a great attitude about it, and that's what we want to celebrate the most in this post.

Her caption said it all: "Would you believe I'm 160 pounds and 5'3"? By 'regular standards' that makes me [too big]. I know I'm not at my goal or anywhere near it after Baby 2 but ... I don't feel [too big]. The only thing I'm feeling is myself."

We totally agree that the scale does not tell the tale. It's more about fitness and feeling good about yourself. Pink looks amazing, and she's providing such a great lesson for her kids, especially her daughter, about how loving yourself is the most important thing, especially when you are working on your goals.

14 Behati Prinsloo's Bathing Suit Body

How soon you snap back from your baby's birth depends on a lot of factors, and good genes are definitely a big part of it.

When you are slim enough to be a model in the first place, then you might get your pre-baby looks back pretty quickly. That's what happened to the beautiful Behati Prinsloo, who gave birth to her second child and was back in a bathing suit in just two weeks.

We're sure that she couldn't wait to get back her model figure, but most people take a lot longer to get ready for bathing suit season.

Behati showed off her figure earlier this year after having her second daughter with Adam Levine, little Geo. We must admit that the back-and-white suit might not have been her first choice pre-baby, but the fit totally tricked us into thinking that she had lost very ounce of the baby weight in record time. Behati gave us the sass and the side view, which was pretty dang flat considering how much it stuck out just a couple of weeks before. Behati had the type of body that made a lot of women envious before pregnancy, and she did it again after the birth.

13 Kylie's Snaps Shocked

Speaking of snap back, leave it to a Kar-Jenner to post gorgeous photos within weeks of giving birth. Kylie Jenner, the youngest of the clan, had avoided taking pictures of her baby bump in the months that she was pregnant, as she avoided the spotlight and tried to hide her condition. She didn't announce her pregnancy until the baby was born, and it took her no time to get back in the social media swing. And it took only a few more weeks for her to start posting incredible shots again.

She posted these pictures to Snapchat just one month after the birth of little girl Stormi, and there was no sign of a postpartum bump.

We must admit that the girl has good genes, as her sisters snapped back pretty quickly as well. And she is only 20, so her body is capable of amazing things. For the first month, Kylie shared tons of pictures of her little angel and her life as a mom. We think it's fine that she's gone back to the things that Kylie does a month after giving birth — don't we all wish that we could? She looks great, and as a social media maven and beauty mogul, that is part of her job. A lot of people showed her love for the post, and we don't blame them.

12 Hilaria Baldwin's Post-Baby Tradition

Hilaria Baldwin has had four babies in five years, and after every birth except for the first one, she has had a tradition.

She takes a selfie the next day to show what a postpartum mom looks like. Hilaria says that it's so that women don't get a false expectation about bouncing back, but the truth is the yoga instructor and health advocate looks a lot better than most of us do the day after giving birth.

The tradition was upheld this May, after she gave birth to her fourth child with Alec Baldwin, a boy who didn't have a name when she posted this picture but was later named Romeo. “I have so much respect and admiration for the human body … I hope that intention shines through and we can inspire each other to be healthier and happier. #wegotthis2018," Hilaria wrote in the caption, pointing out that we all have different shapes and sizes. The photo isn't really going over that well — it doesn't really match the typical postpartum body of a mom of four. But Hilaria definitely works hard at staying healthy and strong while pregnancy, and we shouldn't hate on her for being in great shape whether pregnant or postpartum.

11 Eniko Hart's Dramatic Shape

Hilaria isn't the only mom who stayed in shape for her pregnancy.

In fact, many Hollywood moms work hard to not overdo it so it is easier for them to get back in shape after the birth. That's what Eniko Hart admitted to when she posted a picture one week after the birth of her son Kenzo with Kevin Hart last November.

She strikes a dramatic pose in leggings and a crop top, and we will say that it's possible that the leggings are helping a little with the tummy. Still, she looks amazing, and you wouldn't believe that she had a baby a few months ago, let alone a week.

"I gained a total of 22 lbs during my entire pregnancy. With the help from nursing along with training, & eating well during my pregnancy i must say it was all belly weight," Eniko wrote in the post, adding in a bicep emoji.

She also talked about keeping positive energy around her, which might have been difficult as Kevin was accused of cheating during the pregnancy, but we're glad she made a concerted effort to try to stay stress-free. “I say this to say I’m super proud of the progress that I’m making to get back on my feet taking it one day at a time..baby is good, life is good!” That's awesome, Eniko, and so is your snapback.

10 Katherine Heigl's Transformation

Most women take longer to get back into their pre-baby shape, and that's why we are applauding Katherine Heigl for one of her selfies after having baby Joshua in early 2017. Most of her pictures for the first year showed her kids and her life as a mom, but after 14 months, she posted a selfie to show what her body had gone through after her first pregnancy, as her older two children were both adopted.

The post shared three photos of Katherine, one in the first few days postpartum with a pooch that all moms know. The other two showed her weight loss and fitness over the past year, and believe us, she looks great.

Katherine really showed off the right way for a new mom to think about herself post-baby. It can take time to get into the shape that you want to be in, and you shouldn't feel pressured to get it done in a few weeks or months.

Many doctors say that it took nine months to put on the weight, and it can take nine months to a year to get it off. That's a more healthy approach, especially if you are breastfeeding and need to keep up your milk supply, than going for a dramatic weight loss. Like Katherine, we can do it over time and focus that first year on being a mom.

9 Jessie James Decker's Proud Pic

The more babies a woman has had, the harder it can be to recover. But despite feeling it more while recovering from having her third child, Jessie James Decker posted a body positive pic recently that had an endearing message for all of us. In the photo, Jessie still has the hint of a bump, and you can see a little bit of her C-section scar. But it only came three weeks after the birth of her little one, and we are glad she kept a positive outlook even though she was having a harder time recovering this time around.

Jessie filmed a music video while she was six months pregnant, and it made some people feel uncomfortable, but we think it's awesome that Jessie embraces her pregnant and postpartum appearance, as evidenced by the inspiring and personal caption for this photo.

“Keeping it real! 3 weeks post and I’m still very swollen. The 3rd has been by far the hardest recovery, but I’m feeling stronger every day," Jessie wrote in the caption. But she added a positive message in the end. “Remember what our bodies just when through for 9 months and be proud." Thanks for the reminder, Jessie.

8 Peta Murgatroyd's Reality

Ever since Dancing With the Stars started airing, we learned about what a great work out dancing is — it made a lot of the show's contestants get whipped into shape quickly. But postpartum reality is different even for a dancing pro who had abs like no other. Peta Murgatroyd shared her real-life postpartum look to make sure that moms know that it's OK of they don't return to their pre-baby shape right away.

Peta waited a few weeks to post her post-baby pic, but she chose a photo that she took in the mirror five days after giving birth to her little guy Shai with fellow dancer Maksim Chmerkovsky.

“Real life: I took this photo 8 days post-birth,” she wrote in the caption. “I left the hospital looking 5 months pregnant. Many people think a woman should shrink right back to her pre-birth [size] immediately. That is just not the truth for most.”

But as a new mama, Peta pointed out that women should practice the patience that will help them as a parent on themselves. “Now it's time for patience and hard work,” she added. “Lots of love to all the new mamas out there on the journey.”

7 Jenny's Post Op Pic

There is more than one mom who primps even when they are in labor, hoping to look good when they meet their little one. That's especially true if they are going in for a C-section. And you would think that being a celebrity, they are all about hair and makeup. But funny girl Jenny Mollen proved that in the end pretty much everyone ends up looking like a hot mess — but they are still the most beautiful thing their baby has ever seen.

Jenny, the wife of actor Jason Biggs, posted an Instagram photo of herself in the mirror just a few hours after her C-section to bring her second baby into the world in 2017. She captioned it "Post op chic," and what with the mesh undies, swollen, bandaged tummy and messy hair, it perfectly described the experience. We're just surprised to see her out of bed so soon. It can take a while to get over the swelling and the side effects of the epidural, but Jenny made it look easier than it is for some of us. It's tough to give birth, no matter the baby comes into the world, and Jenny, who had placenta previa during her pregnancy, shows the reality of the experience, hospital bracelet and all.

6 Daphne Oz's Recipe Reality

When you're a well-known chef, you can really give in to the cravings when you are pregnant — and you might feel an even more pressing need to get back into healthy habits after the birth of your baby. That might be true for Daphne Oz, who recently shared a selfie of herself in the bathroom after the birth of her second child and told the world that her meal plan would be changing. We think Daphne looked great in the image three months after the birth of her baby, but she shared it to talk about how she planned to cut back on the carbs to get back to a "healthy weight" — and she had a few recipes in mind.

"FRESH START // I’m working on my next cookbook (!!!) and it’s got me thinking about the way I want to eat long term, the way I want to celebrate with food and still celebrate my body at the same time," the caption said.

We'd love to see what Daphne has in mind. It's hard for most moms to figure out the healthiest way to lose weight, especially if they are breastfeeding because dieting could harm the mom's milk supply. But we hope that Daphne knows that she is beautiful, especially since it brought a baby into the world.

5 Jamie Otis's Sweet Share

One of our favorite postpartum celebrity body photos might be Jamie Otis's. That's because it's more than just a celebration of the postpartum mom — it's also a celebration of new motherhood. While Jamie was revealing her body slowly returning to shape four weeks after the birth of her baby Henley, she had her eyes on the most important part of the experience, her newborn cradled in her arm. Also, take note that in the background you can see a baby bathtub and a sitz bath for the poor mom.

Jamie, who was in "Married At First Sight," is actually a labor and delivery nurse, but she had no idea of the truth that her patients were going through until she had her first child.

She wrote in the caption: "I always feared her coming out – probably shouldn’t admit this since I’m a L&D nurse, but I never truly realized how painful the healing process is – for like weeks... OUCH!😯 ..I cant even imagine the recovery for c-section.😰Having a baby is a total life changer over night. You know this going into it, but can never fully prepare for it all. I learned that I can function {at least partially😜} on 4 hours of sleep.😴 But the best thing I learned in these last 4 weeks is the amount of LOVE I have inside me – not only for my precious baby girl, but for her daddy as well.💕" Henley is Jamie's rainbow baby, and we're glad to see she is embracing the highs and lows of new motherhood.

4 Tess Holliday's Belly Love

Tess Holliday is one of the most body positive people we know. She is a plus size model who has proven time and again that a woman can be beautiful at any size, and that's true even after she's become a mom. Last year, Tess gave birth to her second child, and while some people expressed concern that she was endorsing an unhealthy lifestyle, she remained as positive as ever throughout her pregnancy. After the birth was no exception.

Tess used social media to talk about postpartum problems and how an unhealthy image issues can contribute to that. Bodies change when you have a baby, no matter what size it is before the pregnancy, and Tess said she wasn't anticipating the way she felt about herself a few months after the birth.

Luckily, though, she came to accept the way that she changed, and we couldn't have been prouder when she posted the picture above with the caption "Belly love," along with some hashtags that said it all, with sass and positivity for any woman who doesn't conform to typical beauty standards. 

Tess was beautiful before and after baby, but just like all of us, it doesn't always feel that way. We're glad she found the self love she needed in the end.

3 Amber Tamblyn's Stained Shirt

It's not just the body that can be hard to accept right after the birth of the baby. The wardrobe can change too, and for a while it might not be for the better. Case in point is this photo that was one of Amber Tamblyn's first postpartum pictures.

She shared a mirror selfie that didn't feature her so much as the shirt covering her. It was pulled loose, covered in spit up stains and breastmilk leakage and all sorts of other baby grub we don't want to identify.

We can guess what it is, and it's all pretty icky.

The shirt shows a perfect introduction to mom life, when things aren't nearly as glamorous as Amber and her husband David Cross are used to in Hollywood. Amber and David started out choosing to be more selective about what they shared on social media, joking that their daughter was named "Dauphinoise Petunia Brittany Scheherazade Von Funkinstein Mustard Witch RBG Cross Tamblyn-Bey jr." So Amber had to put a funny if real picture on her mom bod as well. We loved the true-to-life photo because it just perfectly describes the gross uniform that new moms wear for the first few weeks of birth.

2 Bachelorette Jillian's Back

The over-the-shoulder look is hot on the red carpet, but it's not exactly the same in the maternity ward. When former Bachelorette Jillian Harris gave birth a couple of years ago, she shared a back shot that was pretty memorable, in that it reminded women of their own postpartum experience.

The reality TV star was definitely keeping it real, showing her mesh underwear and supersize pad. We couldn't see her baby belly, which we're sure was still there in the hours after she gave birth, but you could see that her body didn't get back to the usual curves of pre-pregnancy so soon. What was great, though, was the way that Jillian and her husband Justin were gazing lovingly at their newborn son, little Leo. Jillian shared the photo along with a blog on her son's birth story, and she expressed what a labor of love it was. The ordeal was long and scary, and Jillian was being rushed in for a C-section because the baby's cord was wrapped around his neck when she finally delivered vaginally. But as scary as it was, the outcome was amazing, and you could see the love in the picture. "He was beautiful, and life was beautiful," Jillian wrote. And so is her postpartum picture.

1 Kate's Postpartum Appearance

Princess Kate doesn't take selfies, but the royal is expected to make a postpartum appearance long before any of the other celebrities on our list — and this one comes with no filters. Kate is photographed by the world press just a few hours after giving birth, as she leaves the hospital, according to the tradition in England. But the princess so far has taken the event in stride and wowed us with her post-baby appearance every single time.

The most recent was this April, when Kate had her third child with Prince William. We all waited excitedly to see Prince George and Charlotte arrive to meet their sibling, but the big moment was definitely when Kate took the baby outside to give us all a peek. As many eyes were on Louis, even more were on Kate, who understandably had hair and makeup artists on hand for the occasion.

She looked amazing in a red loose-fitting dress, which reminded us that even princesses don't lose their baby belly before they go home from the hospital, and she even had on heels. We're sure the pressure is profound, but Kate once again looked incredible just a few hours after giving birth.

Sources: Self, People, Today, E! Online, Daily Mail, PeopleThe Stir, People, Insider, Romper, Self, Celebrity Baby Scoop, Today's Parent, Us Magazine, Revelist, Daily Mail, Today, PopSugar