Chrissy Teigen Wore Her First Swimsuit Post-Baby (and Obviously Looked Amazing)
Seen here in June, after her daughter was born, Chrissy Teigen doesn’t have your typical post-baby body — and even she’s insecure about it! (Photo: Getty)
When you’re a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, sharing your first pic in a swimsuit post-baby on social media can be a bit stressful. That was the case for Chrissy Teigen on her Fourth of July outing to the Hamptons with husband John Legend and baby daughter Luna — or Lu Lu, as Chrissy often refers to her on Instagram.
Photo: Instagram/ChrissyTeigen
In a candid shot on her Instagram, 30-year-old Teigen is playfully splashing around in a pool while looking effortlessly fabulous in a pair of aviators and a red-orange one-piece with a plunging neckline. On her Snapchat account, she expressed her hesitation to wear a swimsuit for the first time since giving birth, saying, “It’s risky.” Doting hubby Legend replied, “Not a risk.” Judging from the pictures, we’d have to agree.
It’s natural for stars to feel increased pressure to “snap back into place after pregnancy,” says Julie Cole, senior psychotherapist and counselor at Priory Wellbeing Centre in Southampton, England. She tells us, “Female celebrities are under significant pressure … after pregnancy because their looks and image [are] paramount.”
You don’t have to look very far to see that stars are scrutinized before, during, and after pregnancy. From baby-bump watches to breakdowns of post-baby bodies, prying eyes are everywhere. Just Google “baby bump watch” and you’ll find websites that devote entire channels to speculating about and closely monitoring celebrity pregnancies.
Post-baby body reveals and weight-loss secrets are particularly fascinating when it comes to Tinseltown moms, and celebrities either cave to the pressure or rebel against it. Jessica Alba famously wore a double corset for three months after giving birth to her second daughter, Haven, in 2011, as reported by Shape magazine. She said of the tactic, “It was brutal; it’s not for everyone.”
Last month, Kim Kardashian stripped down to a bra and thigh-high stockings (and less) for her first revealing photo shoot — for GQ magazine — since giving birth to baby Saint West. The Sun published images from the shoot. Kardashian — along with her sisters — is also known to wear corsets in a weight-shedding technique now known as waist training.
But in May, Anne Hathaway told Ellen DeGeneres that her less-than-perfect post-baby body makes her feel confident, according to Self. She said, “When I walk into the gym … I would [usually] walk in and feel so intimidated, but I walk in and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I work out with five pound weights, but I pushed a baby out of my body, I feel good right now!’”
With all these celebrities under the microscope, it’s natural that non-famous moms also feel an enormous amount of pressure to look great after giving birth. “In our uber-image-conscious world, where 24/7 social media depicts the so-called ‘ideal shape’ via Instagram or Facebook,” Cole says, “the time it takes realistically to get back into shape is ignored, and everything is supposed to be instantaneous.”
Photo: Instagram/ChrissyTeigen
Cole adds, “Looking good after having a baby can be extraordinarily difficult to achieve when you are sleep deprived, stressed about breast-feeding, coming to terms with your new life, and trying to maintain a healthy relationship with your partner, who may have gone back to work.”
Of course, many celebrities make a very healthy living from looking trim and fit, and can afford pay for top-notch nutritionists and personal trainers. It’s unrealistic for the “everymom” to expect to look as good — and as fast — as the stars she sees gracing magazine covers and frolicking on beaches just weeks after their due dates.
That said, getting into shape after giving birth is achievable in the real world, as long as you’re patient and kind to yourself. “After giving birth, women should have the freedom and confidence to focus on spending time with their baby, recovering from the birth, and getting as much rest as possible. Breastfeeding will enable you to lose calories in any case, and sex in itself is a great workout,” Cole says.
And don’t expect results overnight. “During pregnancy, the body’s ligaments loosen up in preparation for birth, and it takes at least six weeks for everything to get back to normal, so you could end up damaging yourself if you start exercising too soon.”
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