Anyone who has ever been pregnant knows that pregnancy is a full-body experience. Everything from the shape of our bellies to the width of our feet and even the size of our eyeballs (this is true!) changes during those critical nine months. And the truth is that, for a lot of us, some parts of our bodies are changed forever by being pregnant. Hips stay wider, stretch marks fade but never really go away, and the original size and shape of our nipples might become a distant memory.
Given all these changes, it's not totally surprising that research has found that many women experience anxiety or challenges when it comes to body image post-baby. It can feel hard to feel sexy or like we are living up to our full MILF energy when we are adjusting to a body that is both super powerful (hello, we created an actual human) and doesn't quite look the same. Obviously, loving our bodies at all of our ages, sizes, and stages is key and is an inside job first and foremost. But we're not going to lie, it does feel good to know that our partners are still hot for us! We talked to 15 dads (who asked to stay anonymous while gushing about their wives) who shared the real truth about why they still love their wives' post-baby bods. We love that energy!
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More of the Good Stuff
"My wife's body after having our three kids is softer. She has more of a belly and her boobs are bigger. She complains about it sometimes and I'm like, 'Hey, don't threaten me with a good time!' From my point of view, she just has more of the good stuff now!"
She's a Beast (in the Best Way)
"She carried our twins for 39 weeks. She's a beast! In the best way. When I look at her now, I just remember how strong she was and what an amazing job she did making sure our babies got here safely. How could I not still love that body?"
More Love
"I can't really separate out my love for who she is and my attraction to her body, if that makes sense. Like, I was first attracted to her body (and her red hair!) but she got more attractive the longer I knew her because love does that. I love her even more since she had our kids, so my attraction is still there because it is attached to her, not just her body."
Boys Like Boobs
"I know people are going to tell you these really deep answers, but I'm gonna keep it honest. Men are not complicated. We are still the boys who like boobs. Any day that I get to see a naked pair of boobies is a good day. Who cares if they have some stretch marks? They are still boobs."
The Next Chapter
"My wife and I have been together since we were 16. We spent about 10 years trying really hard not to get pregnant. Then we spent about five years trying really hard to get pregnant. Now, we've got our one and done and we're in the next chapter of our sex life. I've got the snip snip and sex is just recreational. All of it is good, changed bodies included."
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Dad Bods & Mom Bods
"I've got a dad bod. She's got a mom bod. Who the f— cares! She's still my girl, sex still feels amazing, and we're more committed than ever because we're also someone's parents."
Nothing's Changed
"My wife already had a kid when we met (my stepson, who is awesome) and now we have a son together. She's always been a mom since I've known her, so I guess I've always loved her post-baby body! It doesn't feel like anything has changed since our kid was born."
Better Now
"She's always been really into fitness and obviously she was hot when she was ripped and lean. But sometimes I felt like she was a little obsessed about it, I guess. I like that she is a little softer right now and I hope she doesn't feel pressure to be as hard core as she used to be."
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Just Grateful for Her
"We had a really high-risk pregnancy, so my wife was on bed rest for most of it. Then she had a delivery with some complications and she had some bad postpartum stuff. We didn't have sex for almost two years. I'm just grateful for her and grateful to be on the other side of a really hard time. I couldn't care less about the ways her body has changed."
The Real Challenge
"We have three kids under the age of 4. The real challenge in terms of my wife's post-baby body is that I never get to see it without a child attached to it these days. I know that this isn't going to be the sexiest season of our marriage."
Stretch Marks Are Cool
"I don't want to sound like a weirdo or like this is some kind of mom fetish or kink thing, but I like my wife's stretch marks. I think they look and feel cool and they remind me that she was a warrior when it came to having our kids."
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Wish She Believed Me
"The only thing I don't like about my wife's body now is that she doesn't like her body. I wish she believed me that I'm just as attracted to her now as I was before we had three kids. She's hot to me and there is nobody else I'd want to have sex with."
Curves for Days
"I was first attracted to her because I like a thick woman. She's just got more curves now and I'm into it. Give me the curves for days. I like the thighs, I like the hips, I like the booty. I like it all."
Bodies Change
"We met when we were in college, got married after med school, and were married for 15 years before we had a kid. We've been seeing each other naked for almost 30 years now! Bodies change as you age, whether you have kids or not, so her body after having a child at 44 was just another change. No big deal."
Strong as Hell
"I don't know how it's possible to not love her body more post-baby. Watching her give birth was the most powerful thing I've ever seen. She was strong as hell. Her body did that. I love that body."
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