Jenna Patterson (31), Jaya (2) years and Jamesey (6 weeks)
Photographed in Portland, Oregon
Jenna shares -
"I have always struggled with negative body image. From a young age I felt "fat" and unworthy. My relationship with my body has been mostly negative with constant dieting and belittling myself for the bit of extra weight I carried. Motherhood has improved my body image greatly. I am in awe of my body's ability to grow, birth, and nourish my two children. The female body is a remarkable thing!
I struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of my daughter. I think a lot of it had to do with a lack of confidence in myself. I questioned everything from co-sleeping to nursing. My experience the second time around has been drastically different as I have learned to trust my intuition and maternal instinct. I was meant to do this.
I want all to question the cultural narrative regarding birth. Your body is not something broken that needs to be fixed. Birth is a beautiful and natural process.
I believe that women's worth should go beyond their physical appearance. As a society we need to stop putting such an emphasis on losing the "baby weight" and instead bask in the beauty and selflessness that is motherhood."