Since posting pics of my post-baby belly on my blog and voicing my anger at the pressure on mums to lose their post-baby weight I have been completely overwhelmed by an outpouring of support. Your heartfelt, honest and brave responses are too many for me to respond to individually, but please know I’ve read each and every one of them. There’s been tears, yours and mine. I have never felt such pride in all of us sticking together and supporting each other. As I type this, I’ve had nearly 8,000 hits on the blog post and hundreds of amazing comments on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, via texts, phone calls and emails. And the strangest, scariest and most thrilling thing happened – I was interviewed live by the gorgeous Lisa Wilkinson on The Today Show.
A camera crew arrived at my house at 5.30am and an hour later I was being beamed into lounge rooms throughout Australia. Click here to see it if you want. And a few hours after that, I was interviewed by ABC Radio. Blogging has never been so real to me. My main concern is I am unsure where to go from here. How do I top this experience? I feel immense pressure and I don’t want to let anyone down. It has taught me a huge lesson, of the reach one person can have. It’s reconfirmed for me the importance of blogging raw, of being brave, of authenticity. It’s reminded me to always be myself and never be afraid. It’s in all of us.
So, please know this – thank you. Thank you from the depths of my wobbly, scarred, post-baby belly. It is a constant reminder of the three beautiful children I birthed. And now it will always remind me of the powerful network of mothers in the world and the importance of being brave.
Love Bianca x
Hi, I'm Bianca Wordley, I write about life.
That’s so exciting! I’m glad you got recognition for that post. Awesomesauce
Where to go from here? Just keep being you. xx
I agree with Kirsty, just keep being fabulous, funny, real you. can’t wait to see you! Xxxxxxx
Wow, what a week indeed! 8000 hits?! Can’t even begin to fathom that. You totally rock! Well done and keep on blogging! Xxx
you had me til the last line – your post wasn’t just about mothers, you have to see that?!? it can’t have been, i’m NOT a mother and yet it resonated with me and i posted a comment about it.
your post was about body image and confidence in general – yes being a mum and particularly a new mum, there is pressure to get your body back to how it was pre baby but that pressure is there on women, if even if they don’t have children.
women, regardless of whether we have born children or not, are too harsh on ourselves, on each other – we don’t seem to be able to embrace and admit that ALL body shapes are attractive and desirable, that we all have SOMETHING about us, our bodies that is fabulous – we get sucked into the trashy glossy mags and their gossip that tells us we have to look a certain way.
i call bollocks to that.
your words were inspiring and your post so very brave but you have to know that it was inspiring to women in general, not just mothers.
as for where do you go from here – nowhere, you just keep being you because just by being you is how that fabulous post came to life!
~x~
I hope the pressure doesn’t way you down. Accept the reaction for what it is – gratitude (and some relief!) for you having the strength and courage to speak out, and the ability to do it so beautifully!
Fantastic…keep it real to you 🙂
Congratulations for being honest. If you continue to write what you are feeling you will continue to connect with people and continue to gain more readers. Thank you for being an inspiration to me, mum of three girls and new blogger. Keep it real, honest and from the heart and you can’t go wrong.
Maybe you could write some opinion pieces for mags and newspapers about the subject?
I would also get on board with the Butterfly Foundation too.
Well done, gorgeous girl.
You should be so proud for starting this conversation! And no matter where you go from here (Sawhole has awesome suggestions!) I know you will be an awesome voice for the masses. Wishing you every success xx
You’re amazing Bianca! I was so inspired by you and your bravery! As, I’m sure, were thousands more.
Don’t feel pressured to top this success, just keep doing what you’re doing because you’re bloody brilliant!
x
Your belly is your blessing B in so many ways. but more than anything that feeling of revulsion & concern you had should have been pushed so far down the scale of importance it’s about to fall off. You showed, by writing and then by your appearance on TV just how clever, intelligent and awesome you are & that some work on your field of expertise – journalism- awaits! Are you ready to go! You sure are!!!
you took one for the team in the biggest bravest way, said what so many of us were thinking … in days of yore there was no expectation that mothers should hold the same shape as ‘maidens’. how have we come so far in so many ways, and so backwards on this one issue?
the proud feminist in me suspects keeping us quivering over our ‘inadequate’ bodies, the same bodies that have nurtured and birthed new life, keeps us from taking an equal position in the world, undermines our confidence to take on bigger challenges .. but that’s my soapbox, and we are here to praise you! xt
Just keep doing what you’ve always done, Bianca. You won’t let anyone down at all that way! Gorgeous you, belly and all. x
I can imagine the pressure must be immense!!
But just keep on blogging…no pressure! 🙂
I just watched your TV debut. Man you have it going on the tellie. You’re succinct, and clear. Must be all that media training? I haven’t had a chance to tell you how proud I was of you. I did read your original post, but for some ungodly reason my comments didn’t post. But here I am just letting you know I remember what you said, and still think of it from time to time. (Usually when I’m naked and standing in front of my mirror).
But thanks anyhow for letting us relax a little. If we’re mums or even if we aren’t. xx