Mothers often complain about how their bodies have been physically 'ruined' by childbirth. Gained weight, stretched skin, and scars are often the results of the pregnancy process, all of which don't fit into our basic image of 'beauty.' The miracle of childbirth is made into an act of martyrdom as post-pregnancy bodies are categorized as unattractive, only because they do not fit into the normal model of female physical elegance. Photographer Ashlee Wells Jackson, seeing this as a major issue, specifically deconstructs the negative conception of women's bodies after pregnancy in her photo collection titled '4th Trimester Bodies.'

A mother of three, Jackson became increasingly self-conscious of her body after giving birth to her children. Jackson discovered she was not alone in this sentiment, realizing many mothers feel the same way about their bodies after pregnancy. Rather than accept society's conception of beauty, Jackson began her collection with the goal of showcasing "the beauty inherent in the changes brought to [women’s] bodies through motherhood, child-birth and breastfeeding.”

Raw and sentimental all at once, Jackson's work is an uninhibited view on the motherly physical form. Reworking the societal framework of physical beauty, '4th Trimester Bodies' will show you how beautiful a women's body can be, regardless of whether she has had children. See for yourself below.

For more information on Jackson's project, check out the official website.

Source - The Huffington Post