Peta Murgatroyd isn't the type of woman to put on a front -- she's realistic and honest.
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The fan-favorite Dancing with the Stars pro shared a photo of herself Sunday on Instagram in which she's showing the baby bump that remains about a week after giving birth to her first child, Shai Aleksander, with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Murgatroyd, 30, was wearing only a lace bra and black leggings in the picture, with her hair up in a bun on the top of her head.
"Real life: I took this photo 8 days post birth. I left the hospital looking 5 months pregnant. Many people think a woman should shrink right back to her pre-birth weight immediately. That is just not the truth for most," Murgatroyd captioned the image.
"The female body is incredible and resilient, but healing and strengthening take time. Now it's time for patience and hard work. Lots of love to all the new mamas out there on the journey. #yesihaveascrunchieinmyhair #shaiiswortheverypound."
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Shai was born on January 4, and ever since, the couple has been gushing about parenthood on social media.
Murgatroyd's post-birth photo is inspiring women everywhere, especially those who can relate.
Instagram comments have been pouring in from women who are thankful Murgatroyd is "keeping it real" and sending out a "great message."
"I am so sick and tired of the stigmas that the media stirs up in saying that moms should have 'hot, skinny bodies' immediately after giving birth. It's just ridiculous and complete bullsh-t. It's thanks to women like you who squash that stigma," one follower wrote.
Chmerkovskiy, 36, and Murgatroyd began dating back in 2012 and had an on-again, off-again relationship before going steady in Spring 2015. The couple got engaged in December 2015 and then confirmed in June of the following year they were expecting Baby No. 1.
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Whether Murgatroyd will compete on the next edition of Dancing with the Stars this spring remains uncertain. Chmerkovskiy finished the latest Season 23 in ninth place with celebrity partner Amber Rose.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski