Ashley Graham Is Getting Candid About Her Stretch Marks

Ashley Graham is embracing her post-baby body (and we’re not just talking about those gorgeous photos she’s been posting on Instagram).

During a recent interview with Kristen Bell for Elle, the 32-year-old model opened up about the physical changes her body went through while being pregnant and after giving birth to her son Isaac in January.

"When I got pregnant, I had to reimagine my relationship with my body with this creature inside me taking over,” she told the Good Place star. “I was gaining weight so rapidly. Then, to get stretch marks on my stomach, that to me was like, 'Oh my gosh. I can’t believe this happened. At first, it felt devastating, and then when I met Isaac, I said, 'No, this is exactly what every woman has talked about for ages. This is not just a battle wound. This is something that has changed my life forever, and I’m going to celebrate my new body.'"

That paradigm shift helped Graham view her stretch marks as a source of strength and empowerment; something she hopes other women see too, as their bodies change throughout their lives.

“As women, we’re all superheroes. I’m always reminded that our bodies were built to do this,” she continued. “It’s such a beautiful thing to be able to give birth, but I didn’t realize it until afterward.”