The Huffington Post
An Instagram post from Glamour UK has been criticised for telling expectant mothers what to wear to give birth in so they “still feel cute”. The post featured a photo of TV personality Sophie Habboo in hospital before she gave birth (though she wasn’t mentioned in the article), and was overlaid with the text: “What to wear when giving birth (so you still feel cute).” The article itself, which was written by a Glamour editor, shared a series of suggestions for comfortable items expectant parents might want to buy, such as a £136 Skims lounge set, a £30 Boux Avenue nursing bra, and a £32 H&M pyjama set that “looks pulled together”. “One thing nobody really tells you about giving birth? What you wear afterwards actually matters,” read the caption for the Instagram post. “Between nappies, nipple cream and tiny baby outfits, it’s easy to overlook what would make you feel comfortable, practical and still a little bit like yourself.” Why has there been a backlash? The post has received numerous comments from women who are outraged that the focus is on feeling “cute” at a time when many are simply trying to survive. It’s no secret the UK is in the midst of a maternity crisis, which Baroness Valerie Amos, who is chairing a review into maternity care, said in December is “much worse” than she’d expected. A birth trauma survey from 2023 found the majority of women (79%) surveyed had experienced birth trauma, with 53% experiencing physical trauma and 71% experiencing psychological or emotional trauma. In response to Glamour UK’s post, singer Paloma Faith , who gave birth to her third child back in March, said: “The last thing I thought about was being cute! It was survival!!!” TV presenter Angela Scanlon added: “Cute?!? Why would you want to feel ‘cute’...” Meanwhile, podcast host Robyn Lee branded the post “tone deaf”. Another commenter said: “UK maternity services are in urgent need of reform because so many women and babies are DYING or left with life changing injuries and you think we care about looking cute? WE OUT HERE TRYING TO SURVIVE.” This week, Sky News has been shining a spotlight on the the UK’s broken maternity system, “hearing from new mothers, midwives under pressure and experts on how to fix the issues”. According to the mothers and babies charity MBRRACE-UK , the rate of maternal death in England in 2022-24 was 20% higher than it was in 2009-11. There was a near three-fold difference in maternal mortality rates for Black women compared to white women. Many alluded to the fact giving birth can be a dangerous and traumatic experience, so feeling or looking “cute” was often the last thing on their minds. “This is such an awful take. I can’t even remember what I was wearing while giving birth as I was more concerned about the wellbeing of my son and also making sure I got through labor safely!” added another respondent. “I can’t believe I’m reading this post,” said another. “The most life changing event for a parent, at times accompanied by absolute trauma, life loss, long term illness… and we are talking about looking cute?!” HuffPost UK has contacted Glamour UK and Sophie Habboo’s team for comment. Related... Molly-Mae Hague And Tommy Fury Announce Birth Of Second Child In Sweet Post Medical Expert Reveals What Happens During A C-Section Birth I Study Maternal Health – And It's Exactly Why I'm Afraid To Give Birth
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