MOTHERHOOD campaign

May Bourne, a Midwife and founder of Positive Birth Jersey teamed up with Sophie Darwin, Jersey’s only on-island birth photographer, to launch the MOTHERHOOD campaign to celebrate the beauty of post-birth bodies.

The campaign aims to offer a realistic image of what motherhood looks like – an image that is very rarely portrayed on social media platforms. There is unnecessary pressure and high expectations for women to ‘bounce back’ to their pre-pregnancy weight, which isn’t realistic. The images celebrate everything that comes with motherhood - stretch marks, weight gain, a change in skin, c-section scars, and breastfeeding breasts.

25 individual women shared their unique stories about their postbirth bodies, whilst participating in an intimate photoshoot that depicts the raw and emotional experience of birth and motherhood.

An exhibition will be held at The Arts Centre between 23rd March - 4th April 2020 - the images will remain on display for 2 weeks. An online social media campaign will also take place during this time. 

You can follow May and Sophie on Facebook and Instagram.

- Positive Birth Jersey, @positivebirthjersey

- Sophie Darwin Photography, @sophiedarwinphotography

“I loved having Scarlett so much that we wanted her to have a sibling and 18 months later I was pregnant with Bertie. I can’t imagine being without them and they make our lives so complete. Being a parent is the best job in the world, but also the hardest – I love every minute of it! I had Scarlett via a natural birth, but Bertie was an emergency c-section. I wasn’t ready for the body changes I had with Bertie.” - Victoria

"On the surface I’m a mother of two, but in fact my body carried three beautiful humans. I first became a mother when we brought a beautiful angel into the world - that insane love everyone spoke about was there, the minute I held him. But he was too beautiful for earth. Instead, he handpicked his two beautiful sisters to stay with us and complete our family. I guess my body fought back, despite all the anxieties and worry - it didn’t fail me, it never has - although I initially thought that it did." - Alisha

“I really love my shape in this pregnancy, it is so nice to have tight skin and not to be sucking in my tummy, and my youngest is absolutely obsessed with my bump and with cuddling, kissing and talking to baby. Pregnancy is such a contrast to the post baby stage, where it is definitely much harder to embrace the softer me, and to respect and value the phenomenal things my body has done.” - Claudia

“I felt like I had failed as a mother. I was disgusted by what I saw in the mirror and I was struggling with how much my body had changed. A few weeks later I saw the MOTHERHOOD campaign and it just sparked something inside me. It has completely changed how I view myself and my body. It felt liberating having the photos taken and sharing the experience with so many other beautiful women. I now look in the mirror and smile as my body has done something amazing and has grown and fed 3 beautiful children.” - Rachel

“My body has taken quite a knock. I have always struggled with my weight and body positivity and during my pregnancy I certainly ate for two. That alongside the expected changes with growing another human, it’s left me with a very different image when I look in the mirror. That being said, I have never felt more confident. When I see myself I don’t see the same person. I feel ashamed but that is why I wanted to take part in this. Although I am at my biggest, Barney sees me through his perfect eyes as his wonderful mother regardless of my size and shape. I’m so proud to say I am a mother and I bear the scars and lumps and bumps to prove it. They are my journey and I wouldn’t change a thing.” - Polly

“It took me years to learn to love me again and be proud of the skin I’m in, scars and all. My body grew and birthed two beautiful babies. It was put through so much and I should praise it not tear it apart. Taking part in this campaign with so many strong, beautiful and brave women all with a different story to tell has been such a privilege.” - Mikela

“It has taken me a little while to look at my scar and I really didn’t realise how much of an overhang there would be on my tummy where the scar is. I was bloated for weeks and weeks and just didn’t like the way it looked and felt so different to having a natural birth first time.” - Victoria

“I put on a huge amount of weight in both pregnancies and I'm still nowhere near my prepregnancy weight but I really couldn't care less. I have scars, stretchmarks, dimples and wobbly bits and I honestly have never loved my body more. I'm so proud of what it's achieved and the beautiful, healthy babies it has created. It is upsetting that we live in a time were women are expected to 'bounce back' from pregnancy and childbirth and carry on as normal. But nothing will ever be 'normal' again.” - Charlene

“My body has changed completely after my two pregnancies. To say that I don’t mind would be a lie. I don’t particularly like my stretch marks, I don’t like the loose skin on my tummy and I don’t like that I have lost my waist. But it is reality of what pregnancy does to a body. I am proud as well. I am proud of what my body has done and I am proud of what my stretch marks stand for. It’s real. And it has done something absolutely amazing, only seven weeks ago. So, for now I’m kind to my body and I really appreciate what it has done for me and my babies.” -

Marije