You know what I absolutely love? When women with MASSIVE platforms use their voice for something that actually matters. Like JAX — yep, the JAX (Jacqueline Cole Miskanic Gregg), with 2 million followers, who recently posted a photo of her pregnant belly, complete with visible stretch marks. 😍 And because the internet is the internet, she apparently got flooded with DMs about how to get rid of them. (People. Come on.)

Her message was loud, clear, and beautifully savage:

"Talking about stretch marks openly or not covering them up with clothes or photo editing, is NOT an invitation for strangers to give advice on how to 'fix' them... I want other pregnant women to know that this is what an actual human body looks like when there's another human inside of it. It looks fcking beautiful. Because it's GROWING A BABY."

YES, QUEEN. Can I get an amen?

🤰 We’re Already Carrying a Human, Do We Really Need the Pressure Too?

Being a mom — or even just a pregnant person — feels like a full-time job in people-pleasing. Am I glowing enough? Is my bump the right size? Do I look like I’ve swallowed a watermelon or a pillow?

And when you're not one of those perfectly curated IG moms with six-pack abs in their third trimester, you start questioning everything. And let’s be honest — most of us aren’t. 

This is exactly why I started my @wannabe.diary IG and this blog — to show the real side of pregnancy and motherhood. Not the version with soft filters and matching lounge sets, but the one where your toddler wipes their nose on your shirt again, your nipples are on fire, and your biggest achievement today was drinking your coffee while it was still lukewarm.

Not to shame anyone who genuinely wakes up glowing with a full face of makeup and a baby who sleeps through the night (good for you, girl 🫶) — but because that’s not the norm for most of us.

😂 Real-Life Mom Moments (Just So You Know You're Not Alone)

So let's balance the highlight reel with a few honest snapshots from my own journey:

• I proudly squeezed into my pre-pregnancy jeans at 8 months pregnant (yes, they were stretchy — thank you, Zara) and was 100% convinced I'd be rocking them again right after birth. Spoiler: I did not. Not for a long time.
• I slathered myself in every anti-stretch-mark cream known to man, twice a day, like a ritual. Did I still get stretch marks? Of course. In the last 14 days of pregnancy.
• I cried in the mirror after birth because my body didn’t just magically bounce back (why do we even expect that?!).
• I felt like a zombie during those early newborn days and had to be helped to the toilet after my emergency C-section.
• I breastfed exclusively and still GAINED weight. So much for “the pounds will melt away while nursing.” Lies. All lies.

💥 Let’s Talk About My Stretch Mark Saga

I was one of those pregnant women who religiously slathered her belly in oils and creams every morning and night. Like, I was a walking coconut. I invested in ten different anti-stretch mark products.

Guess what? The stretch marks came anyway. 😅

And they didn’t just casually show up — they made a grand entrance in the final 14 days before birth while I was waiting (and waiting… and waiting) for labor to start. I got them on my belly, hips, and even inner thighs. So yeah, I was very in my feelings about it.

At the time, I was devastated. I had done everything “right,” so why did my skin betray me?! But now? I see them differently.

Because you know what? Those marks are my baby’s fingerprints. They’re proof of life — of her kicking, growing, and finally deciding to arrive at 42 weeks like the diva she is.

I carried my daughter — our long-awaited miracle after 5 years of infertility and IVF. And now she’s a wild, joyful, beautiful two-year-old. If stretch marks were the price I had to pay to bring her into the world… then honestly, I’d pay double.

Here is my current belly photo — these stretch marks are now faded and barely visible unless the lighting is just right, but they’re still mine. They tell a story. And I’m proud of them.

🤱 Comparison is the Thief of Sanity

During my first postpartum experience, I followed a few influencers who had babies around the same time. Within days of giving birth, they were posting “before and after” mirror selfies with flat stomachs and captions like, “Just a little squish left!”

Meanwhile, I had just come out of an emergency C-section, still looked 6 months pregnant, and couldn’t even cough without wincing. But all I could think was: “What’s wrong with me?”

These were the same influencers who spent their pregnancies bouncing around the gym, claiming “Pregnancy isn’t an illness!” — while I spent most of mine either dry heaving or stuck in bed with a placenta previa.

We are not all the same. And we shouldn’t expect to be.

And for the record, I exclusively breastfed. And no — the weight didn’t melt off. It clung to me like that one friend at parties who doesn’t know when to go home.

🛑 Unsolicited Comments = Not Helpful

The size of my belly? Not an open topic. Yes, I carry big. No, it doesn’t mean I’m having twins. No, I’m not about to pop — I’m just halfway through. Thanks for your concern, random stranger at the grocery store.

People, I beg you: stop commenting on pregnant bodies. It’s weird. It’s rude. And honestly? We don’t need your input. We already have enough going on — like growing actual organs inside us.

Just like JAX said — sharing our real bodies is not an invitation for commentary. Unless we ask for tips on stretch marks, belly size, weight loss, or breastfeeding — maybe just don’t.

👀 A Little Stalkerish but…

I realized JAX is the same age as me and also a Taurus (hello fellow stubborn goddess), she’s also due in May (I think), and she’s having a girl too. Okay, maybe I noticed a lot, but whatever.

I’ve followed her for years and she’s one of the few people online who just shows up as she is. No filters. No fakery. Just the real, beautiful, messy, magic of womanhood.

And that’s what I’m trying to do here too. I don’t post much on my personal IG, and this whole blog was way out of my comfort zone. But if it helps just one mom feel more normal, more seen, more loved — then every vulnerable post is worth it.

❤️ Final Thoughts

To every mama out there feeling like your body isn’t “right” — you are not broken. You are not alone. You are building life, and that’s literally the most badass thing on Earth.

Stretch marks, squishy tummies, leaky boobs, and all — we are powerful beyond words.

Social media needs more real. More JAX. More women saying “this is me, and I’m proud.” So let’s keep showing up, telling the truth, and clapping for women who dare to be real. Because THAT’S the kind of influence the world truly needs.

And honestly? I’m getting there too. Slowly shedding the fear of what others might think. One unfiltered post at a time.

💛 Here’s to owning our stories — stretch marks and all.