Moms Are Loving Serena Williams's New Instagram Post About Her Changing Postpartum Body

Serena Williams is embracing her postpartum body. The mom of two took to Instagram on Monday to share a sweet appreciation post for her changing body after welcoming baby daughter Adira, and she wants to remind other moms that “loving yourself is essential.”

Williams shared a photo of herself posing in a two-piece bathing suit with daughter Adira River, who she welcomed in August with husband Alexis Ohanian, cuddled against her with her face turned away from the camera. “Loving yourself is essential. I find that I have to remind myself of that self-love through all different stages in my life,” Williams wrote. “Right now I love that my body is not picture perfect.”

“I love that I smell like milk — that milk sustains @adiraohanian,” she continued. “I love getting to know a new version of my body. It is a change, but it’s a change that has been well worth it. So start this week, knowing that you are loved, and that starts with you.”

“OK now I’m about to go to the gym,” she finished her post.

The tennis champion, who also shares 6-year-old daughter Olympia with her Reddit co-founder husband, received loads of praise for her empowering message of self love and self acceptance.

“I’ll take your imperfections any day and anyway. You are perfectly you. Continued blessings,” wrote one follower.

“Embracing your whole self. What an icon. And you look fantastic. Boy do you put in the work! As a mother, wife and whole person. Queen Serena,” another added.

“Self Love 🙌🏽❤️🙌🏽,” one follower wrote on her post.

“Love that you are keeping it real,” another commented.

“So inspirational 🙌 having just had a baby myself I’m having to learn to be kind to myself,” one more added.

Williams retired from tennis in 2023 to focus on her family, and soon after gave birth to her second daughter. It has been a year of transition for the mom of two, and her honesty about embracing those transitions has been incredibly inspiring. Particularly for fellow moms who might not always feel comfortable with their “new” bodies after giving birth. Williams’ decision to focus on the way her body is able to care for another life is a perspective shift that many people might benefit from emulating. Instead of thinking of breast milk as just breast milk, take a cue from Williams, who was proud to donate her excess “super soldier” breast milk in New York City.

She’s comfortable owning her status as a super soldier, a mom, and a woman who embraces change. Queen Serena indeed.