Wellness

THE BEAUTIFUL BODIES OF MOTHERS

A mother shows off her beautiful baby bump, by Jade Beall.

This Mother's Day, photographer and mother Jade Beall will release an empowering new book, "The Bodies of Mothers," aimed at celebrating the incomparable beauty of a mother's body.

The book features 80 women, in every stage of their pregnancy and early motherhood, as they exist in real life, without being photoshopped or airbrushed. These women have embraced their pregnant and post-baby bodies, celebrating the strength and beauty of their own imperfections.

The mothers share stories about how childbirth has changed them, filling the pages with wise words and inspiration.

Like many women, Beall has struggled with self image. Her pregnancy made her feel the most beautiful she ever had, but soon battled with weight loss after giving birth. Using photography as a therapeutic tool, she began taking self portraits and sharing her story.

When the photo above was posted online, it went viral and Jade's work gained great global media attention. Women reached out, wanting to share their life stories and be photographed by Beall --- and "A Beautiful Body Project" was born.

Through crowdfunding she raised $60,000, nearly three times her pledge and received $20,000 in pre-orders for her first book "Bodies of Mothers". "The Bodies of Mothers" is the first part of a series of inspiring books Beall intends to produce.

Jade Beall created a movement. Today, "A Beautiful Body Project" has grown into a large network of photographers and volunteers who are campaigning to redefine beauty to reflect and appreciate a much broader spectrum than the idealized view that is promoted in the media.

The shift we see happening towards more women accepting their bodies, expanding our definitions of beauty, -- even developing the idea of “flawsome,” is a beautiful advance in the way we look at each other and at ourselves.