Ashley Graham is keeping it real when it comes to talking about her postpartum recovery experience. The 32-year-old new mom welcomed son Isaac on January 18. In the weeks since, she's been busy enjoying all the milestones of first-time parenthood along with husband Justin Ervin. There are some experiences that are exclusive to a new mom, however, and Ashley's opening up about those.
Ashley posed in what appeared to be cute boy shorts in a recent Instagram post. She was actually wearing disposable underwear by Frida Mom, a company specializing in all items a mom might need from early labor to postpartum. She explained how Frida Mom CEO Chelsea Rosen Hirschhorn is a friend and hooked her up with all the products she'd need to take care of herself postpartum. Ashley applauded the company for trying to help women with a process that's rarely ever talked about as she shared her own postpartum recovery experience.
Ashley Graham and husband Justin Ervin are enjoying all the joys of first-time parenthood. The couple, who have been married for 10 years, welcomed son Isaac Menelik Giovanni Ervin on January 18. Ashley gave birth at the couple's home.
“Nothing prepares you for just how magical and intense giving birth is,” the 32-year-old model shared on her podcast, Pretty Big Deal.
“I’m so grateful that I was able to deliver naturally in my home with my husband by my side for all six hours of labor. Holding my baby for the first time is a moment I’ll never forget.”
Ashley was overcome with how empowering the experience was for her. "Going through the hardship of my body changing, having to go back to practice what I preach, and then going through the invincible laboring birth experience that I did, and now to be able to stand tall and say, 'Wow, I did it' — I'm so proud of myself, and I want other women to feel that exact feeling of just being invincible," she explained. "I feel like there's nothing I can't do."
Three weeks later, Ashley has decided to open up about her postpartum recovery experience. The 32-year-old new mom shared a mirror selfie to Instagram where she appears to be in a pair of boy shorts. She revealed they were actually disposable underwear in her photo's caption.
"Raise your hand if you didn’t know you’d be changing your own diapers too," she began. "After all these years in fashion I never could’ve guessed that disposable underwear would be my favorite piece of clothing but here we are! No one talks about the recovery and healing (yes even the messy parts) new moms go through. I wanted to show you guys that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies!"
Ashley went on to share the products that she's used during her postpartum recovery. "It’s been tough, but my friend Chelsea @cmrh and CEO at @fridamom is making waves and starting honest conversations," she shared.
"It’s unbelievable the obstacles we still face talking about what women really go through. All their stuff she sent me has been a life saver."
Frida Mom aims to help women through every stage of labor, delivery, and postpartum with personal care products. "Kick that hospital bag packing list to the curb," its website claims. "We’ve got you covered from first contraction to first postpartum bathroom trip. Trust us, your vagina will thank you."
Many women applauded Ashley for getting real about a subject that’s glossed over in even the frankest discussions of birth.
“Yes! This! All of this!! It’s so not pretty!” wrote one commenter. “And those disposable underwear and coochie freezer packs are EVERYTHING! Especially after having boys. Congrats .”
Ashley's not the only celeb mom to discuss her postpartum recovery experience. Amy Schumer got real about her love for hospital underwear after welcoming her son, Gene. "Hospital underwear for life!" she proclaimed.
Jazz Charton, wife of Kieran Culkin, shared a photo of herself holding her baby girl, Kinsey, while donning hospital underwear.
"This is me 4 days postpartum – I live in sexy surgical mesh underwear that’s keeping a world of pain in check, my boobs are engorged, I burst blood vessels in my face from pushing, my big pregnant belly that I loved so much deflated to a mere paunch but it’s all so worth it," she captioned the image. "I’ve never been more in love and we’ve never felt more complete."
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi spoke about her postpartum recovery experience after giving birth to her third child, Angelo. When Snooki said she was looking forward to getting back to the gym, critics slammed her for having the wrong priorities.
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but don’t attack me for wanting to become strong and fit again after my pregnancy," she clapped back in an edited caption. "My boobs are leaking and pulsating, my butthole is sore and my cramps are unbearable & I’m still wearing a diaper the size of Texas. Postpartum is a [expletive]."
Chrissy Teigen first tweeted about her postpartum recovery experience after welcoming daughter Luna in 2016. "No one told me I would be coming home in diapers too," she tweeted.
When she welcomed son Miles in 2018, she shared a photo of herself wearing the hospital underwear around the house. She shouted out Ali Wong, who sung their praises in her stand-up special Hard Knock Wife.
For some moms, adult diapers come before pregnancy is even done. Shay Mitchell shared her own experience with diapers. "You want to see something?" she told colleagues during a fitting on her pregnancy YouTube series, Almost Ready.
"Honestly guys, I've never known that somebody could pee as much as you do when you're pregnant. I swear to God, in a half an hour, I went to the bathroom probably about 22 times last night, to the point where I was like, 'I'm [expletive] wearing diapers.'"
We've got to give it up for these celebrity moms who are willing to be vulnerable so other women are more comfortable discussing their own postpartum recovery experiences. Moms share a special bond, so it's only right we keep it all the way real with one another. Ashley is joining a group of incredible moms who celebrate all the ups and downs of parenting.
