This Gorgeous Postpartum Bodies Series Will Have You Applauding the Moms Who Bared All

Because newborn photography is the "heart and soul" of her business, photographer Julie Worthy of Petite Cherie Photography spends a lot of time creating portraits showcasing "picture-perfect" new moms who can be seen from the waist up and smiling wide. Although creating beautiful photos for her clients is part of the job, the photographer also wanted to show that the portraits she creates aren't necessarily reality — and while that's OK, sharing imperfections is also more than OK.

"I spend a lot of time creating portraits that show picture-perfect waist-up shots of a smiling mom. I tuck in their bumps, buff out their blemishes, and present to the world this picture-perfect portrait of a beautiful new mother," Julie told POPSUGAR. "Reality, however, is so much more raw. New moms have scars, stretch marks, and leftover baby weight, and it is so important to me that my clients (and all mothers) know that it is EVERY bit as beautiful and more. The postpartum period is challenging for everyone, and I think that it's so important to show people that it's OK to love our imperfections. We all have them, and rather than hide them, we should own them because they helped create those babies that we love so much!"

PREACH.

To showcase that "imperfections are perfect," Julie got a group of women together who were willing to bare all and created the most stunning black-and-white photo series highlighting their beautiful bodies (with a few appearances from adorable babies!). Scroll through to see the entire series.