A Stranger Assumed This New Mom Was Still Pregnant & She Had the Perfect Response

Before Anupa King shared a snapshot of her pregnant belly on social media, she needed some courage. But the strength that it took her to upload that first image is nothing compared to what she needed in order to post this powerful pre- and post-pregnancy snapshot. Now that she did, many other moms are thankful for her courage, because the raw images are teaching others an important lesson on what actually happens to a woman's body after giving birth.

The new mom from Canada posted this bold side-by-side photo after a baker at her grocery store asked the one question that would make most new moms cringe, especially weeks after giving birth: Are you having a boy or girl? 

"That would have really hit some soft spots/nerves with me … I mean I'm not pregnant anymore but I sure do look it," she wrote on Instagram. "Instead I smiled and nicely said I had a boy."

before and after pregnancy
denupzter/Instagram

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After she left the store, Anupa realized the stranger's assumption that she's still pregnant didn't bother her. "I absolutely love my body and am so super proud of it, hence the reason I chose to share this post image with you," she wrote. "And however long it takes for my body to journey back to where it was once, then that's fine … I know it'll find its way. Until then I'll continue to be kind knowing that it's doing exactly what it needs to be doing right now for me and for [my son] Levi!"

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The revealing photos show what her body looked like just hours before giving birth, compared to what it looks like now at three weeks postpartum, and she hopes they help put an end to the myth that a healthy woman's body will pretty much instantly snap back if she's in great shape. "One of the main reasons I share this, as most of you know, THIS is a marathoner/dancer's body and while that can mean I'll bounce back in no time, it clearly doesn't," she wrote. "Especially now too that my body is producing all of Levi's food … I really do admire all the mamas out there that say breastfeeding gets their bodies back in shape."

For Anupa, it'll take getting in some long-distance runs before she starts to feel like herself again. But until her body feels ready to hit the trails, she's more than happy with it just the way it is for giving her Levi.