Olivia Wilde Gets Real About Her Body: ‘The Truth Is, I'm A Mother, And I Look Like One'

Olivia Wilde Gets Real About Her Body: ‘The Truth Is, I'm A Mother, And I Look Like One'

"The truth is, I’m a mother, and I look like one.”

Olivia Wilde opened up about the realities of being a new mom in an interview with Shape for the magazine's April 2015 issue. Wilde, who welcomed son Otis Alexander with fiancé Jason Sudeikis last April, said giving birth was empowering and that she was impressed by the strength she possessed.

While the 31-year-old star doesn't sugarcoat the postpartum experience, she makes it very clear in Shape that her body is hers, and it's capable of amazing things.

“I am not in perfect shape. In fact, I’m softer than I’ve ever been, including that unfortunate semester in high school when I simultaneously discovered Krispy Kreme and pot. The photos of me in this magazine have been generously constructed to show my best angles and I assure you, good lighting has been warmly embraced. The truth is, I’m a mother, and I look like one.”

"Many people aren't familiar with the post-birth experience -- and why should they be? But let me tell you now: For a couple of weeks after you pop that sucker out, you are the walking wounded. First of all, you haven't seen your vagina in months, even though it's all her fault you're in this situation. Now that you can finally confirm that she is, in fact, still there, she isn't the gal you remember, and would rather you back off and give her some space (and an ice diaper) for the time being, thank you very much."

"That gorgeous bump you proudly paraded around town for some 40 weeks has only retreated slightly after the birth. Now it’s a lot like a partially deflated pool toy. After giving birth, I joined the ranks of millions of new mothers when I moaned, 'Why do I still look pregnant? Is there another one stuck in there?' But luckily, that part doesn’t last long. Basically, for the first few months, your body has that covered, and you can just let it do the work while you focus on keeping the kid alive and occasionally washing your hair. Breast-feeding helps, in the most intense way."

"I believe in a world where mothers are not expected to shed any physical evidence of their child-bearing experience. In that same world I believe there is space for exercise to be as much a gift to your brain as it is to your body. I don’t want to waste my time striving for some subjective definition of perfection. I’d rather rebuild my strength while dancing my ass off ... literally.”

Read Wilde's full interview in Shape, on newsstands now.

olivia

olivia

olivia

Before You Go

Nina Dobrev

Inspiring Celebrity Body Image Quotes

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE