Earning over 19 million views on TikTok, Danisha has been documenting her unfiltered, unedited postpartum journey every step of the way, fighting the unrealistic portrayals we often see and movies and even in Hollywood from women with access to unlimited resources. All postpartum bodies are different, despite what social media feeds may tell us. And scolding yourself for the amazing thing your body just did isn’t cool, although society has let us normalize it.
Snapback culture creates pressure and a competitive environment when we should be lifting each other up. But how many magazine covers exist where another woman is applauded for toning up just weeks after giving birth? Society doesn’t care about our mental health or social life — it just matters if we get back to that tight, pre-baby bod. Luckily, people like Danisha are out here to educate folks on the toxic nature of snapback culture and the hypocritical expectations of new moms.
In 2020, Nisha shared the health challenges that she had been battling. She had undergone major surgery and needed to be “cut open” three times under general anesthesia, but at the time, family members weren’t allowed to be there due to COVID-19 regulations. She wrote on social media, “You come first, take care of yourself mentally and physically!” She reminded her followers to never judge people since we never know what’s happening behind closed doors.
She then made a video series showing her postpartum progress, writing a caption about how moms have a tough time, especially when their bodies change dramatically in a short time period. Nisha reminds people to be kind and patient to themselves when adapting to new versions of their bodies and to be selective in following certain social media accounts and avoiding certain content. Don’t be afraid to click that unfollow button if it doesn’t make you feel good — body positivity and acceptance is key.
