Does This Jools Oliver Photo Put Pressure On New Mums To Lose Their Baby Weight Quickly?

Jools Oliver shared this picture to Instagram but was accused of putting pressure on new mums [Photo: Instagram/joolsoliver]

For many new mums fitting back into their pre-pregnancy trousers can be a real post-birth milestone. But when Jools Oliver shared a photo to Instagram claiming she was ‘almost’ in a new pair of loose-fit trousers just a few weeks after giving birth to her fifth child, River Rocket, it caused a bit of a stir with some accusing her of putting pressure on mums to lose weight quickly after birth.

“Every day I’m scrutinising my weight and pictures like this by naturally slim women do not help!” one woman commented.

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about bonding with your child rather than how quickly you fit back into your jeans? How is this supposed to help other women in the same situation who don’t snap back so quickly?”

The comment clearly affected the wife of celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver and she has since responded to the criticism of the photo.

“Honestly, it’s about the trousers! I didn’t even think about the weight!” she wrote.

“For God’s sake, I still have heaps to lose as I said earlier. My t-shirt hides a lot!”

Going on to explain that she hardly ever puts pictures of herself up and that the photo hadn’t been a ‘selfie’ Jools added that she was “confident with my body before, during and after pregnancy” saying she “totally gets that things don’t go back to normal for at least 6 months to a year!”

“As for bonding with my baby,” she continued. “I feel no need to address this it’s ridiculous. So please next time if I irritate you just unfollow me it was just meant to be a nice pic of a pair of good trews but has to turn in to a weight issue seems a bit weird to me and a totally shame!”

Jools welcomed new baby River Rocket 5 weeks ago [Photo: Instagram/joolsoliver]

And other commenters were also quick to step in and defend Jools’ sharing of the picture, applauding her for her response to the criticism.

“Get a grip! Jools was just showing us her fab trousers, not starting a debate about post-pregnancy weight! #boreoff,” one woman wrote.

“Just looked to me like you were pleased with your new trousers! (And why not!)” added another

Others pointed out that the mum-shaming in any form needs to stop.

“Women need to stop comparative analyses that create wars between women + start supporting one another. Our culture is overwhelmingly obsessed with weight, and overlooking true beauty.”

And Jools’ friend and yoga teacher also came forward to defend the shot.

“Everyone needs to calm down,” she wrote. “I was holding the baby because I was visiting and the trousers looked bloody great and I took the picture of Jools in them because she looked great in them and we were celebrating our friends’ @aceandjigg with their great design.”

“Jools should not have to hide the fact that she is a beautiful woman and looks radiant after her birth,” she continued.

“She is the last woman to make other pregnant or post baby women feel uncomfortable or that they should conform to any kind of model weight. In fact weight wasn’t even mentioned. Let alone being told she should be bonding? That’s just hurtful to say to a mother of a newborn. We were talking about elasticated waisted trousers and how great they are. We should be celebrating each other’s beauty and not judging each other.”

The news comes as another mum was slammed for also sharing a photo of her post-baby body, three weeks after giving birth.

Hannah Polites, 24, a midwife and fitness junkie shared a picture of her wearing a bodycon dress while holding her baby Evaliah Grace. The dress was the same dress she’d worn on New Year’s Eve in 2015, before she fell pregnant, but the fact she was able to fit into it less than three weeks after giving birth to her daughter caused a bit of a stir with some accusing her of caring more about the way she looked than her baby.

This snap on Instagram has caused a bit of a stir [Photo: Instagram/hannahpolites]

“Being a mum with a newborn should be a special bonding time,” one commentator wrote. “Focus on your baby, get to know her. Instead you are more focused on showing yourself off. Stop being so vain and be a mother to her.”

“This is not how a mother supposed to pose, I feel sorry for the baby and the father. Really sad,” wrote another.

Other critics attacked the new mum for the way she was holding her baby

“You look good but please don’t hold that baby like that,” one person wrote.

“Poor baby, looks like a handbag,” added another.

But the negative comments angered the majority of Hannah’s 1.3 million followers and a huge number of fans stepped in to defend her.

“I’m sure she is having tons of bonding time with her new daughter,” one follower wrote. “Being a mum doesn’t mean you suddenly have to look disheveled and lose all sense of who you are. I’m a new mum myself, and before my 6 week old wakes each morning I get up and get myself together… Put on a little makeup etc bc it makes me feel good. And there is no shame in that.”

Hannah shared a picture of herself in the same dress on New Year’s Eve 2015 [Photo: Instagram/hannahpolites]

Others pointed out that the way she was holding her baby was just fine.

“She’s a midwife people… I think she knows how to hold a baby, relax,” one commentator added.

And some followers were quick to add that mum-shaming was a form of jealousy

“So funny how most of the hate is coming from OTHER JEALOUS WOMEN,” one fan wrote. “You look amazing and carry yourself very well. Just because you have a baby doesn’t mean you have to let yourself go, or post pictures looking frazzled.”

The fuss was such that Hannah herself edited her original comment to respond to the criticism directly.

“Calm down people, I know how to hold my baby safely and have barely left her side for more than a couple of minutes since she was born,” she wrote. “You can bond with your child without needing to lose your identity.”

Hannah has shared a few pictures of her and baby Evaliah [Photo: Instagram/hannahpolites]

Being attacked because you fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans, being criticised because you don’t, getting slammed for not making an effort, getting judged because you do and on and on. Isn’t it about time we put an end to all this mum-shaming? New motherhood is a tricky enough time to navigate without the added pressure of getting guilt-tripped by other parents.

Live and let live people, live and let live.

What do you think about mum-shaming? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

Body Builder Who Was Told Her Bump Was ‘Too Small’ Gives Birth To Healthy Baby Girl

Photographer Captures Mum One Hour After Giving Birth, Immortalises The Beauty Of Motherhood