Model Sarah Stage has been in the spotlight quite a bit throughout her pregnancy. The incredibly toned fit model made headlines — and of course, garnered criticism — with her pregnancy selfies, in which her baby bump just slightly shows under her rock-solid abs.
Showing all the body-shamers out there that pregnant bodies can indeed come in all healthy shapes and sizes, Stage’s reps confirmed to Us Weekly that she gave birth this week to a healthy, 8-pound 7-ounce baby boy.
Here she is at nine months:
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Stage defended her physique, telling “Good Morning America“: “As long as the baby is healthy I don’t think anything else matters. That should be the most important thing.” She also said what we’re all thinking: It’s just downright rude to say that to a pregnant woman, especially when you know nothing about her or the baby’s health.
READ MORE: Meteorlogist Recieves Hate Mail About Her Pregnant Body
For a woman with a normal BMI, a total weight gain throughout pregnancy of 25-35 is a healthy range to shoot for, according to the Institute of Medicine. A few things can determine how much weight a woman gains, including her weight going into it, level of fitness, if she works out during pregnancy, her age, how many children she’s had, and of course, genetics. Not only is Stage a young, first-time mom-to-be, she’s also a fitness fanatic, healthy eater, and, oh right, a model with a genetically smaller, fit frame. When she gave the “GMA” interview, she said she had gained about 20 pounds during pregnancy — and with some time still left, that was a perfectly healthy place.
When are we going to stop giving pregnant women a hard time for their bodies? We tell Kelly Clarkson she gained too much weight, but then Sarah Stage hasn’t gained enough. Pregnant bodies are just as — if not more — diverse than non-pregnant ones. Women carrying children are accomplishing an incredible, beautiful feat. It’s time everyone other than their OB/GYN backs off and lets them carry their babies without expecting them to look like an “ideal” pregnant woman.
