Pregnant Ashley James reveals she has had stretch marks since she was 15 and embraces them as ‘gifts from mother nature’ in candid post
She has been documenting the ups and downs of her first pregnancy with her followers on Instagram.
And Ashley James opened up about the realities of stretch marks and how women should not be ashamed of their changing bodies.
The Made in Chelsea star, 33, shared a snap of herself lying in underwear as she caressed her bump on Sunday.
Candid: Ashley James opened up about the realities of stretch marks and how women should not be ashamed of their changing bodies
The influencer and DJ wrote an honest caption alongside the photo as she discussed her body.
She said: ‘What if we stopped seeing stretch marks as bad, and started seeing them as a gift from mother nature, like a tattoo or intricate stitching to document the tapestry of our lives?
‘I’ve had stretch marks around my boob since I was 15, and around my bum from, well I don’t quite know what age. Now as my baby develops, I’m noticing them appear more across my bum and thighs.
Speaking out: The influencer and DJ wrote an honest caption alongside the photo as she discussed her body
‘It’s interesting that there’s so many pregnancy products aimed at helping you get rid of your stretch marks. Pregnancy books telling you how to do everything to avoid them, inferring that we should dislike these appearing stretches in our skin.’
She continued: ‘I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you should LOVE your stretch marks, but you could learn not to hate them either.
‘We might all have stretch marks in varying amounts, but we nearly all have them, no matter what our body type.
‘But each one tells a story: We might have grown quickly as teens, survived lumps, or be growing new life inside us… They all sound like wonderful stories to me.
‘It’s our marks and scars that tell a story, that add character to our bodies, and that make us perfectly unique.’
Update pending: She took to Instagram to share a shot of herself modelling her own black bra as she discussed her need to update her collection
Ashley gave her fans an update on her pregnancy journey on Friday morning, when she revealed plans to go for the maternity bra fitting.
She took to Instagram on share a shot of herself modelling her own black bra as she discussed her need to update her collection.
Cradling her baby bump as she filmed herself, she said: ‘Today I’ve decided to go and get a bra fitting at Bravissimo in Oxford Street, just because a lot of you guys are are asking about help with bras for maternity and I’m struggling as well.’
Motioning to the bra she was wearing, she continued: ‘This is an old one that just about fits, not really. So I’m going to go to their team, do an in-person and I’ll let you know what kind of bras I find and if any of them are helpful.’
She added: ‘These are my Spanx jeans. I’m still kind of like not used to the fact that they’re so low, because I’m used to having my buttons up here, so it feels really weird. But they are super comfortable.’
The star – who is half way through her pregnancy – is having a baby boy with her boyfriend of nine-months Tom Andrews.
First time mum: The star – who is half way through her pregnancy – is having a baby boy with her boyfriend of nine-months Tom Andrews