These Photos Of Actual Moms Immediately After Giving Birth Are Raw And Beautiful

"The most emotional moment of my life was the first time I held my son. I hadn’t slept for 2 days, hadn’t eaten in 23 hours, and couldn’t have been happier."

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to send in pics of what they looked like right after childbirth. We all can’t (and don’t) look like Kate Middleton hours after labor, but nevertheless, all moms exude beauty. Check out these amazing mommas during their life-changing moment...

1.

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—casandrawaitforitm

2.

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—kratta95

3.

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"I was unable to sit up, disoriented from the pain meds, and overwhelmed with so many emotions."

—sarahk4bfae3711

4.

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"This was taken about six hours after delivering my twins via C-section. I was flown away from my boys to another hospital after severe complications from 90% blood loss and almost losing my uterus and my life. I met my boys three days later. If anyone still thinks a cesarean is the 'easy way out' think again. Nothing was easy about this. I am currently four months postpartum and I’m still recovering."

—belindajeans

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—katiebeacomh

6.

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"The most emotional moment of my life was the first time I held my son. I hadn’t slept for two days, hadn’t eaten in 23 hours, and couldn’t have been happier."

—jessyv3

7.

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"Me after 72 hours of induced labor and nine months hyperemesis gravidarum (non-stop morning sickness). I demanded a California burrito as a push present. Because I could finally eat again."

—kellyanne2626

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"This was a few hours after giving birth."

—kaitlinw4bac4cef6

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—markiaoctavioni

10.

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"This was 24 hours after giving birth vaginally to my nine-pound daughter AND after a shower in my hospital room. I was still puffy, bleeding heavily, and looking about six months pregnant."

—qbrad91

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—j4ad6dae8a

12.

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"I was still in shock that I have two kids now."

—jessicaa38

13.

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"This was me when they put me into my room. Not cute at all! And I still looked pregnant."

—shayonar

14.

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"This is me looking to my mom for guidance as I'm freaking out that I'm a mom now."

—hanna2

15.

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"My midwife wanted me to eat a meal before I left the birth center, so I had spaghetti and meatballs at five a.m."

—kellyn4180f356c

16.

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"This is me with my middle child about 20 seconds old. I said, 'Did I poo in the pool?'"

—pinkdeedle

17.

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"This is the first time I got to hold my little girl. She was 11 weeks early and this pic was taken almost 36 hours after she was born. This was after an emergency C-section due to preeclampsia. I had been on magnesium since nine a.m. the previous day and keeping my eyes open was a struggle. I felt like death."

—mrsnecrosaro420

18.

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"We birthed our daughter at home and this was after 40 hours of total labor. The last thing I would ever want to do is get my swollen vagina up off the ground, put a dress on and try looking like a million bucks like Kate Middleton had to. I was so tired (it was worth it and I would totally do it again!) and constantly thought there was no way I could go through another contraction!"

—alysonc46334cee3

19.

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"I was exhausted, but so happy."

—seriouslywoow

20.

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"Me tired, crying, and on lots of drugs."

—kirbyb4b53bc4d1

21.

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"This was taken seconds after squeezing my daughter – in utter disbelief that I did it unmedicated and didn’t actually die (because I definitely thought I was dying)."

—fallaend

Some submissions have been edited for length and clarity.