Why ‘mom bods’ aren’t accepted like ‘dad bods’, and how women are judged on their weight loss after giving birth
- Women are judged harshly for their postnatal bodies and thought lazy if they don’t lose weight quickly enough, yet men are allowed less than toned bodies
- Social media influencers are challenging these ideals and promoting body positivity
In a world that typically glamorises muscularity and the “buff body type”, “dad bods” aren’t just accepted. They’re even considered sexy to some women.
Starting as a viral trend in the early 2010s, “dad bods” refer to a less-toned body type on a middle-aged man; instead of biceps or a six pack, he may have a slight beer belly.
One 2021 study found that 75 per cent of single respondents preferred “dad bods” to the traditionally toned male body type. But are “mom bods” next? Probably not. Experts say mom bods aren’t likely to trend in the same way – at least not any time soon.
Men are praised if they conform to beauty standards. But women are expected to. Men have long been able to get away with having less than perfect bodies.
“A dad bod is not only tolerated, it’s lauded in society … but from the moment a mom gives birth, there is a plethora of messaging out there indicating that to recover well, she has to ‘bounce back’ to her pre-baby weight,” says Jennifer Wolkin, a licensed psychologist based in New York.