Professional Dancer Peta Murgatroyd Praised For Baring Post-Baby Body Eight Days After Giving Birth

Professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd has been praised by mothers for sharing a photo of her post-baby body eight days after giving birth.

The 30-year-old posed in her bra and leggings to remind others that your body takes time to heal after having a baby - and there is no rush to do that.

“I took this photo eight days post birth,” she wrote on Instagram. “I left the hospital looking five months pregnant.”

Murgatroyd continued: “Many people think a woman should shrink right back to her pre-birth weight immediately. That is just not the truth for most.

“The female body is incredible and resilient, but healing and strengthening take time. Now it’s time for patience and hard work.

“Lots of love to all the new mamas out there on the journey.”

The dancer proved that no matter what your body looks like before having a baby, it still takes time to heal.

“Beautifully said,” one mother wrote. “Thank you for sharing this. I’m six weeks postpartum and feel the same. You are amazing.”

Another mum commented: “You just became my favourite woman in the world. Such an inspiration to see you show this reality. I was so uneducated and disappointed when I had my first child that I stopped taking photos of myself entirely.

“You should do a magazine shoot because so many women are lost in Hollywood’s standards and truly believe they will look just as they did before getting pregnant when they walk out of the hospital.”

One mum wrote: “Thank you, Peta! Celebrities often make us regular women feel like we do need to bounce right back, or there’s something wrong with us, when, in fact, bouncing right back is the exception.

“We all know what a bangin’ body you had, and will again.”

The New Zealand-born dancer gave birth to her first child with dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the 4 January 2017.

Before You Go

Easy Ways To Soothe Your Body After Birth

Soaking In An Herbal Bath(01 of05)

Natural mamas swear by soaking in herbs to speed up the body's healing processes. Well, anything that gives you a chance to relax - if only for 15 minutes - is hugely important, especially in those early days post-birth, when hormones are going haywire and you're putting your newborn's needs ahead of your own. A quarter of a cup of Epsom salts, teamed with a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of lavender essential oil are an inviting combination to help ease muscle pain and relieve inflammation. Soaking in a warm bath is also recommended for new mums suffering from blocked ducts or mastitis as a result of breastfeeding.* (credit:stevecoleimages via Getty Images)

Cabbage Leaves For Sore Breasts(02 of05)

Breastfeeding can be wonderful. It can also be painful, tricky to master and bring with it a myriad of potential ailments that you never would have imagined (engorgement, cracked nipples, blocked ducts and mastitis, just to name a few). If breasts are feeling sore or uncomfortable - whether from engorgement as your milk comes in or because you have an infection - cold, raw cabbage leaves can be a soothing relief, as recommended by British breastfeeding organisation La Leche**.

Just keep a cabbage or two in the freezer for when you need them. Bonus: you can wear the leaves hidden inside your bra all day. Unfortunately, you will smell like a rotten salad - but it's a small price to pay for the relief you'll feel. Use only until swelling goes down as long-term use may reduce milk supply. (credit:chengyuzheng via Getty Images)

Sipping Camomile Tea(03 of05)

Camomile tea is known for its calming, anti-inflammatory properties, according to researchers, including a 2010 study published in Molecular Medicine Reports*** and it is also thought to help promote restful sleep - essential when you're in the broken newborn sleep stage and need to make the most of any ZZZs that you do catch. Another interesting use for camomile? Researchers have found that camomile tea can even help to soothe a colicky baby.**** (credit:J Shepherd via Getty Images)

Hydrating Creams To Soothe Irritated Skin(04 of05)

Hormonal fluctuations can wreak havoc on a new mother's skin - in pregnancy and beyond, according to the NHS+. Moles may darken, you can sunburn more easily and you may find that your skin is more sensitive, itchy and more easily irritated by products you comfortably used pre-baby.++

If you are one of the women suffering from eczema or dry skin who found that your condition worsened post-birth, then add a hydrating, fragrance-free cream and shower gel to your routine, like the emollients from Oilatum, including Fragrance-Free Shower Gel and Oilatum Cream, which are designed to treat dry skin conditions and rehydrate sensitive skin. (credit:Cecile Lavabre via Getty Images)

Coconut Oil For Stretch Marks(05 of05)

While there are countless creams, oils and potions claiming to 'magic' away post-birth stretch marks, take it all with a pinch of salt. While stretch marks do fade, they don't ever disappear completely.+++

However, if you're looking to minimise them, coconut oil is a favourite among Earth Mamas. Keep it around the house and it can also help to soothe sore or cracked nipples (from breastfeeding). (credit:Magone via Getty Images)

new parents Babies Pregnancy birth Celebrity Pregnancy

Before You Go

Related