After Having Triplets, 1 Mom Has an Important Message About Her Postpartum Body

After two strangers in one week congratulated Desiree Fortin on a nonexistent pregnancy, this mom of triplets decided to take a good look at her postpartum body. However, instead of feeling frustration or shame, in that moment she decided to value exactly what she saw.

In addition to embracing her "pooch," she's hoping to help other moms love their bodies for what they are today. "I wanted to do something empowering, not just for me, but other moms out there, to show how special our bodies are," Desiree told POPSUGAR. "We need to embrace our 'hope wounds' because there is a beautiful story and strong woman behind those scars."

Inspired by milk bath maternity shoots, Desiree posed for raw postpartum-body photos and shared them with other moms — despite feeling completely vulnerable. "I knew if these photos and my story just impacted one person, I will have made a difference," Desiree said. "We all have a story, and you never know the impact it will have on someone just by sharing your heart."

After battling infertility and giving birth to her triplets, Desiree struggled with postpartum depression and wants others to know it can get better. "As moms, we need to learn to appreciate what our bodies go through to bring life into this world," she said. "I love my body and feel proud of all it went through during my infertility, pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. I feel confident in who I am and do my best to fully embrace my body because it has been through a lot over the last several years."

Now at 18 months postpartum, Desiree has a new perspective when she sees her body in these photos. "I see a very strong woman who fought and conquered infertility. I also see a mom who came face to face with postpartum anxiety and depression and fought to overcome it," she explained. "I love my wounds, and I treasure the life I have been given. I am so proud of my body for all it has done, and I hope my story will reach the hearts of other women looking to see beauty in their own scars."