It’s Been Said a Million Times, but Do We Really Need to ‘Bounce Back’?

Ah, the mythical bounce back—a phrase whispered ominously in hospital hallways and splashed across Instagram feeds featuring influencers looking “better than ever” three days postpartum. It’s the societal pressure cooker mums get shoved into the second the baby’s out. And honestly? It’s time to ask: Do we even want to bounce back?

Spoiler alert: Nope. Except… maybe just a little?

What Even Is ‘Bouncing Back’?

Apparently, it’s the idea that your body, life, and energy should return to its pre-baby state as if the tiny human you just grew, birthed, and are now keeping alive is no big deal. But let’s be real: for most of us, the bounce back isn’t even on the table. It’s more of a slow crawl toward feeling like a functioning human again.

Did your body just perform a miracle? Yes.
Did you sustain life for 9 months while experiencing insomnia, cravings, and approximately 300 trips to the loo every night? Also yes.
So, should you “snap back” like nothing happened? HA! No.

But here’s the kicker: while we all say we’re rejecting the bounce back, there’s still that tiny voice in our heads whispering, “But wouldn’t it be nice to look like that one mum who somehow did?”

The 1% Dream

Let’s talk about the unicorn mums. You know, the ones who leave the hospital in skinny jeans, glowing like they just stepped off a wellness retreat instead of a labour ward. They’re rare, but they exist—and we hate how much we kind of envy them.

We know it’s not realistic, and we know it’s unfair to compare. But deep down, there’s a part of us that wouldn’t mind being the exception. Admit it:

You’ve Googled “How to lose the baby weight fast” while eating leftover birthday cake at 10 p.m.
You’ve looked at before-and-after pics of a celeb mum and thought, Maybe if I just lived on celery and hope, I could do it too.
You’ve tried on your pre-baby jeans “just to see” and immediately regretted it.

It’s okay. We’ve all been there.

Why the Bounce Back Needs to Go Away (For Real)

Here’s the truth: chasing the bounce back is exhausting. It’s a shiny, toxic carrot dangled in front of mums who are already doing all the things. Instead of celebrating what our bodies have achieved, we’re sold this idea that we need to erase all evidence of motherhood as quickly as possible.

But let’s be honest:

Your body didn’t just “bounce” a baby into existence. It built a human from scratch, like some kind of biological wizard.
Those stretch marks? They’re the warrior stripes of someone who literally expanded to create life.
That soft tummy? It’s a badge of honor. Not everyone has abs, but not everyone has the strength to function on two hours of sleep either, so who’s winning now?

What We Should Be Celebrating Instead

Forget the “snapback.” Let’s talk about what mums actually achieve postpartum:

Multitasking Mastery: Feeding a baby, answering emails, and reheating your tea for the fifth time—all at once.
Superhuman Strength: Carrying a toddler, a changing bag, and 18 bags of shopping like it’s an Olympic event.
Emotional Resilience: Surviving meltdowns (yours and theirs) with only minor swearing under your breath.

Moving Past the Pressure

So, do we really need to bounce back? Not at all. But let’s also acknowledge that it’s okay to want to feel good in your skin again. Maybe that means embracing the mum-tum and rocking stretchy jeans forever. Or maybe it means finding a fitness routine that works for you.

What we don’t need? Society telling us what motherhood should look like. Because whether you’re a leggings-all-day mum or a secretly-doing-sit-ups-while-the-baby-naps mum, you’re already smashing it.

Final Thoughts: Celebrate YOU

Instead of bouncing back, how about bouncing forward? Let’s celebrate the mums who are showing up every day for their kids and themselves. Whether you’re surviving on coffee, crushing it in yoga, or just existing while keeping small humans alive, you’re winning.

And to those 1% mums who do magically bounce back? Good for you. We’ll just be over here with our biscuits and our stretch marks, living our best unfiltered lives. Cheers to all of us, because no matter how we look, we’re doing something incredible every single day. 💪✨