Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is getting real about the pressures on women to “bounce back” after pregnancies, revealing how damaging it was to see media reports that childbirth had “ruined” her body after she gave birth to her son, Jack.
In a new interview with Ashley Graham for her podcast Pretty Big Deal, the British model and Rose Inc founder spoke candidly about her post-baby weight gain, saying that during her pregnancy she gained 55lbs (24.9kgs).
“I was kind of taken aback by some of the comments that people had… and the narrative around how women are supposed to look,” the 32-year-old told Ashley, who is currently pregnant with her first child. “It was just shocking to see someone write, ‘Another Body Ruined After a Baby.’ I was like, what the fuck? Sure, I haven’t bounced back, it’s seven months later, but like…”
“I was quiet for a couple days but you get on, it makes you stronger,” she continued. “But really it was more like, really – are we still at a place where we have this pressure of ‘bouncing back’ after a baby?”
Of gaining weight during her pregnancy, Rosie said, “Listen, I enjoyed myself. I let the reins go. It’s a new experience, so you’re kind of like, ‘Well, let’s see how this goes’. And six months in, I was like, ‘What? This is crazy! It was an intense journey. It was so magical to see – towards the end I just walked around naked. So by the end I just felt really empowered in my body, but it took a minute to get there.”
Rosie admitted that she didn’t find getting back into her usual exercise routine easy, saying that she has “a certain body type”, which gave her a newfound understanding and respect for others who don’t enjoy working out.
“I will say working out in the gym and looking back at myself and feeling like shit, I was like, now I understand how hard it is for some people to get to the gym,” she explained.
This article originally appeared on InStyle Australia
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