Ashley Graham Shared A Postpartum Selfie To Welcome Her 'New Tummy'
Ashley Graham is saying thanks to her body after the birth of her twins.
“Hi, new tummy. We’ve been through a lot,” the supermodel wrote on Instagram on Sunday alongside a series of photos of her stomach.
“Thank you,” she added.
Friends and followers sent messages of love to Graham in the comments.
“That tummy has the most beautiful, wholesome stories to tell,” actor Frieda Pinto wrote, while fellow model Helena Christensen said, “Amazing the lives you’ve created and carried and pushed into this world.”
“Thank you for this because I’m 2 months postpartum,” another commenter added. “Seeing how beautiful you look is really empowering for those of us struggling with the way we look. You are stunning and I love this!”
Graham and her husband, filmmaker Justin Ervin, welcomed their twin boys, Malachi and Roman, in January. The longtime couple also have a 2-year-old named Isaac.
Throughout both of Graham’s pregnancies and postpartum journeys, the model has been open about sometimes struggling with her changing body.
“When I got pregnant, I had to reimagine my relationship with my body with this creature inside me taking over. I was gaining weight so rapidly,” Graham said in an interview for Elle magazine’s August 2020 issue. “Then, to get stretch marks on my stomach, that to me was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I can’t believe this happened.’”
“At first it felt devastating,” Graham said, “And then when I met Isaac, I said, ‘No, this is exactly what every woman has talked about for ages. This is not just a battle wound. This is something that has changed my life forever, and I’m going to celebrate my new body.’”
Ashley Graham appears on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." (Photo: Bravo via Getty Images)
Pregnancy aside, Graham has always stood out as a fierce advocate for body positivity over the years, making waves in an industry that is unaccepting of all bodies.
Graham continues to be a voice for those who grapple with accepting their changing bodies. Last year, the 34-year-old shared a message that is especially relevant as summer approaches.
“I know it’s easy to tell yourself the lie that you’re not good enough, thin enough, sexy enough, ‘flawless’ enough to wear a tank top or a swimsuit,” Graham said on Instagram at the time. “But it’s hot out there and so are you. Don’t let your mind stop you from enjoying your life to the fullest (and remember to say ‘i love you’ to yourself every day)!”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
