Shenae Grimes-Beech on why she's celebrating 'hot mom summer': 'I spent the first year after having my first baby feeling like an alien in my own body'
Shenae Grimes-Beech is having a great "hot mom summer."
The 90210 alum, who gave birth to her second child with husband Josh Beech in August 2021, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a video of herself from the TikTok account she shares with Josh. In it, she first appears in casual mom mode, with messy hair and sweats, and the words, “When people make jokes about ‘hot mom summer’” onscreen. In the next scene, however, Grimes is at the playground with her kids in a leopard-print swimsuit, in full glam, with the caption, “...but you don’t get what’s so funny.”
The actress also shared more thoughts in her Instagram caption about the standards mothers are held to in society.
“I spent the first year after having my first baby feeling like an alien in my own body,” she wrote. “I felt empowered and strong, yes, but at the same time, like my body was something to hide away. I had a deep understanding of what my lady parts were actually for and while that was something I celebrated with gratitude, it also made me uncomfortable in my previous wardrobe. I mean, was a MOM now. Best to button that extra button and find shorts or dresses with an extra couple inches in length, right? God forbid you get ‘the look’ from other moms who dressed the part at mommy & me class or pre-school drop off!!!”
Now that Grimes-Beech is postpartum for the second time, however, she said she’s “ain’t having that.”
“This body gave me two babies, works hard to keep up with them every day and she deserves to be shown off how I want to, when I want to,” the Degrassi actress continued. “When I get ‘those looks’ now, it makes me smile. Yes, my fellow mama, these shorts are short and this v-neck is cut deep and yes, I have the confidence to rock what not only my mama gave me but now, what my babies gave me, too!”
The Canadian-born star received lots of praise in her comments section for her words.
“I LOVEEEEEEEEEE THIS,” one wrote. “I HATE when people think we gotta be a mess to be a good mom (im usually a mess but i can do both!!!)”
Another added, “I HATED wearing shorts or a bathing suit after my 2nd son was born, so much so that I spent almost an entire summer not wearing either!! Now I’m like you, my body held 3 pregnancies and gave me 2 precious boys. I’ve worked hard to get back in shape and feeling confident so darn it, I’m wearing what I want. I’m learning to get comfortable in my post-baby body.”
Grimes-Beech, who regularly shares a behind-the-scenes look at her parenting life on TikTok, has written before about celebrating her postpartum body. In an October 2021 Instagram post, she shared a photo of herself following her daughter Bowie’s birth, and explained how she was overcoming her insecurities about her body having not returned to its pre-pregnant state.
“While I was so excited to welcome baby girl, I was really nervous about how insecure I would feel in the days that followed about my body and my belly without a baby in it anymore," she wrote. "Rest assured I’ve felt the absolute opposite of insecure about my body since giving birth to Bowie. I’ve felt more confident in myself and my body than ever before because it is strong and miraculous and badass."
Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Life’s newsletter.
