One mum on why we shouldn't let body hang-ups stop us taking photos with our kids

When it comes to body image us mums tend to give ourselves a hard time. Whether it's the pressure to "bounce back" after having a baby or newly acquired stretch marks, being a mum can sometimes come it a bit of a body confidence crises. Which makes it so much easier to hide behind the camera than be in front of it. 

 

Mum-of-two and blogger, Olivia White, is no different than the rest of us. 

 

In a recent Instagram post, she shared how insecure she was taking photos with her children at the beach. 

 

 

I didn’t post this photo while we were away because I hated how my stomach looked  As much as I try to be self confident and be positive about my appearance, it’s not just a switch and one day you’re completely 110% okay with yourself it’s a daily thing, and you have good and bad days... But you can’t stop, especially when you have little eyes watching you you just need to keep reminding yourself everyday that you’re amazing no matter what anyone else or your own brain tries to trick you into thinking  This is a beautiful moment between my daughter and I, a memory I want to treasure forever and nothing can ruin that 

A post shared by  OLIVIA WHITE (@houseofwhite_) on Nov 28, 2017 at 1:22am PST

 

The picture, which was taken with her daughter at the beach, nearly didn't make it on to her social media.

 

"I didn't post this photo while we were away because I hated how my stomach looked," she confessed. 

 

Even though she tries to be comfortable in her body, she shares that its a daily struggle:

 

"It’s not just a switch and one day you’re completely 110% okay with yourself.  It’s a daily thing, and you have good and bad days."

 

 

Wow  I am so overwhelmed by the response I had to my photo last night  It’s amazing that what I saw and felt hindered my ability to put that photo out there, didn’t even register or matter to one single person here and especially not my daughter  It just goes to show that in a world where we preach to people to be kind and never be a bully that we sadly are the bigger bullies to ourselves But how amazing are all of you with your kind words of support and encouragement  I know it really is so much easier to tell someone else they’re beautiful but gosh if only we could talk to ourselves the way we talk to one another, that would be bloody wonderful  Thank you again for all your kind words and love you loads 

A post shared by  OLIVIA WHITE  (@houseofwhite_) on Nov 28, 2017 at 1:34pm PST

 

But Olivia, who has two young daughters, says that it's important to keep trying to love yourself for the "little eyes watching you." 

 

"You just need to keep reminding yourself everyday that you’re amazing," she continues. "No matter what anyone else or your own brain tries to trick you into thinking."

 

Instead of focusing on her own bodily hang-ups in the picture, she is instead is choosing on the beautiful moment captured between her and her daughter. 

 

"Nothing can ruin that." 

 

 

HEY MAMAS!! I wanted to remind you of something super important!! The other day when I shared my beach picture I was blown away by the response from other mums who empathised they had felt the same way about themselves in photos and they too had not kept or posted images because they didn’t like how they looked. Some people of course didn’t have the nicest things to say. And some people reminded me that I’m lucky to even have those images and you know what – they are totally right!! And one mama in particular really reminded me exactly why… One of the comments I received was from a mama in the US, she had just lost her two eldest sons ages 18 and 20 in a car accident that month. She pleaded with me to not care what I ever look like in these images because she regretted that she herself had next to no photos of her with her children for this very same reason!! My heart absolutely broke into a million pieces for her. My eyes began to water and in that moment, it hit me like a tonne of bricks! I know that this woman’s story is unique, but we so often complain that we aren’t in images because we are always taking them, only to then get one and pick apart how we look and not even keep it!! TAKE THE PHOTOS LADIES!! TAKE ALLLLLL THE BLOODY PHOTOS. Ask your hubby, set up self-time, take a selfie - WHATEVER!! Ask a bloody stranger to take it WHO BLOODY CARES what any one else thinks or says!! ‼️NOW‼️ I want everyone to go grab their camera, their phones - whatever you like and take a photo with your beautiful babies and tag me in it Don’t worry about how you look, don’t worry how you take it - just snap a shot of you and your babies for the world to see  and don’t apologise for it!!! nd if you ever see me down the street I want you to stop me and ask me to snap a photo of you and your squad Always happy to oblige!! #takethedamnphoto

A post shared by OLIVIA WHITE  (@houseofwhite_) on Dec 3, 2017 at 2:28pm PST

 

In a follow-up post, Olivia shared the story of a mother who tragically lost her two sons, 18 and 20, in a car accident. Reaching out to Olivia, the unnamed mother encouraged her to take every photo opportunity: 

 

"She pleaded with me to not care what I ever look like in these images because she regretted that she herself had next to no photos of her with her children for this very same reason." 

 

We all have our good and bad days and all too often mums can get stuck playing the role of the photographer. However, if the bereaved mother's story is anything to go by than we definitely echo Olivia's words of: 

 

"TAKE ALL THE PHOTOS"