Post baby bodies don't bounce back like supermodels + 9 other must-read pregnancy posts.

From celebrity bumps to odes to maternity leave, we’re counting down the top 10 pregnancy posts.

 
1.A celebrity poses pregnant and topless. But there’s a catch…

These days, no-ones bats an eyelid when female celebrities drop their clothes in order to do a beautiful, glamorous (and let’s face it, air-brushed) pregnancy shoot. But ‘Girls’ actress Jemima Kirke became one of our favourite celebrities to capture her bump in a series of un-Hollywood style photos that are just not un-photoshopped but un-glamorous to boot. You can compare her baby bump shots to her celebrity counterparts by clicking here. 

2. Post baby bodies don’t bounce back like supermodels.  

Georgie Dent wrote an article about how the body she respected and admired for carrying her beautiful baby girl, had turned into something she cringed at after looking at it post birth. You can read her honest approach to accepting her post baby body here. 

3. ‘You’ll be less of a woman if you have a caesarean.’ 

A previous boyfriend of Rosie Waterland once told her she’d be less of a woman if she didn’t give birth naturally. While she respects women who do give birth naturally, Rosie’s future birth plan is to undergo a C-section. You can read about her stance here. 

4. ‘I photograph the babies that didn’t make it.’

Some of the posts which have been popular on Mamamia, have been stories of heartbreak, despair and a tiny inkling of hope. The following post from photographer Gemma, who takes photos of stillborn children with their families, is one of them. Keep the tissues handy and read it here.

5. 21 women, pregnant and sleeping. 

A breathtaking series of pictures of pregnant women sleeping. Don’t worry, no houses were broken into in the making of this gallery.

View it here. 

6. You’re pregnant, don’t let yourself go.

While women hope for those magical pregnancies where the belly is the only thing affected by weight gain, most find this is not the case. Karen Charlton writes about how at peace she feels with the changes in her body after three children. View the gallery of the tummies of women who have given birth, and read Karen’s post here. 

7. 14 things you don’t want to hear when you’re doing IVF. 

From ‘You can always get a dog’ to ‘You just need to relax’ here is a list of 14 things one should never say to a woman (and her partner) who are undergoing IVF treatment. Read the list here. 

8. An ode to maternity leave. 

From missing playing with lego, to missing Jimmy Giggle, Sarah Butler composes a list of things she’s sad to say goodbye to, when heading back to the daily grind of the office after maternity leave. Read her ode to maternity leave here.

9. Are you really ready to have a baby? This will tell you.  

Nobody has been able to design a test that accurately indicates whether you’re ready or not to have a baby. Until now. Grab a pen and paper and take the test here. 

10. “The last time..” A must read about Motherhood. 

The last snuggle. The last time you play ‘fire trucks.’ While anticipating your child’s ‘firsts,’ it’s easy to forget to appreciate what they’ve left behind, and pay less attention to their ‘lasts.’ One mother writes a heartfelt post on kids growing up. Read it here.