by Becky Vieira posted in Parenting

Like most of the world with internet access, I spent last Friday looking at (okay, more like analyzing) the first photo released of Beyoncé with her newborn twins Rumi and Sir Carter. Also similar to almost everyone who saw it, I had an opinion. Make that opinions.
On one hand, I personally I look at this and say, ?YES! She's empowering and this is beautiful.? The photo gives me all the feels...It makes me proud to be a woman and mother, and I see her as a representation of all that we warriors are and can be. The photo is art.
Then I look at it as a new mom would, especially one who is suffering from postpartum depression as I did. When I see it through those eyes it makes me angry. And my heart breaks for all the women seeing a new mother who doesn't appear to be exhausted or in pain, and has flawless hair and makeup. I know those new moms are wondering ?What am I doing wrong"? I am immediately taken back to how I felt so alone, like I was a freak and doing nothing right. I felt like I was the only one who... fill in the blank with any word here.
And you compare. Endlessly. Yes, you shouldn't, but try telling your mind that at 3 a.m. when you just finished crying because you put you baby's diaper on incorrectly. There is no reasoning with that mom. She will compare and she will always come up short.
Beyoncé?s photo feeds that type of comparison.

People look up to celebrities, they are aspirational and we want to be like them...