http://jadebeall.com/2012/06/6-27-12-preparing-for-a-beautiful-body-nude-photographs-and-essays-of-american-mothers/

from Jade Beall:

So here’s an invitation to you, Dearest Reader:

A few month ago I wrote a blog which included nude photographs of my lumpy and bumpy post-birth mama body. I had no idea how graciously it would be received. Hundreds of emails arrived from other mothers who were touched with what I had written and by my potentially socially unacceptable nude self portrait photographs. I realized, with giddy excitement, that these women also wanted to share their stories!! Some of them confessed that they had never shared the most painful details of their story with anyone until the moment they were writing me the email. This moved me profoundly and with each subsequent email, I cried.

That is where the inspiration for my book project was born: “A Beautiful Body” Nude Photographs and Essays of American Mothers. Photographs and essays of postpartum mothers (and all mothers). I want to hear each mother’s story: What was her relationship with her body before, during, and after her pregnancy? Did she feel beautiful, ugly, and everything in between? What emotional shifts, evolutions, and challenges did she experience? What was giving birth like? Did you feel like a Goddess after birthing a human? Most importantly, what is one’s relationship to one’s body today? Do you value your authentic beauty? Do you feel even more beautiful after having your child, your children, or not? Is it still a struggle? Has society made it easier or more difficult to feel good about yourself?

And then there are our sisters who have the postpartum bellies and were denied the gift of having a baby survive. Yes, there are a lot of stories out there and the very best story of all is Gratitude. Happiness is a choice no matter how terribly you have been wronged.

Below is random work I have done over the last year to assist you in deciding if you would like to be a part of my book project “A Beautiful Body”. Either way, I thank you. Please share this with any woman you think would resonate with this project. My email is info@jadebeall.com and I can be reached anytime!