This is what postpartum looks like

A new mother can feel insecure as she gets to know her new postpartum baby body but what if instead of focusing on reclaiming her pre-baby body new mums were encouraged to embrace their new figure? Well a new photo series from photographer Natalie McCain is aiming to do just that.

The series called After the Baby is born is from McCain’s The Honest Body Project and captures its subjects postpartum bodies and with every figure being unique it also asks the women involved how they have adjusted to their changing shape.

McCain says she wants to try and inspire women to appreciate what avoid the pressure to “bounce back.”

"Society puts so much pressure on women to 'bounce back' after giving birth and I want to help break that cycle," she writes on the project's website. "These women are baring their hearts and souls to help show the variations of bodies after giving birth."

"I hope that new mothers will see these portraits and recognize that the postpartum period is beautiful and to not be harsh on themselves after they give birth," McCain told the Huffington Post.