My tummy is meant to be covered in stretch marks – theyre a sign of my growth

Lots of women have stretch marks – and they shouldn't be afraid to show them off.

One mother is on a mission to show we should be embracing them, as opposed to trying to cover them up, as they carry a lot more beauty than people think. Forget photoshop as natural appears to be the way forward.

Sarah Nicole Landry, AKA The Bird's Papaya to her over 2million Instagram followers, is known for promoting self-love online. In a recent body positive post, she shared close-up snaps of her stretch marks and explained why she has so many.

READ MORE: 'I don't suck in when I wear bikinis – my rolls are beautiful as they are'

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The proud mum shared pictures which showed close-up shots of her tummy that bares a lot of stretch marks. She slipped into a crop top to show them off, as she doesn't believe they should be hidden away.

In fact, she sees them as "marks of her own growth", and doesn't believe in hating her body for its "imperfections". Sarah is a mother of four, so her body has been through a lot over the years.

She said her stretch marks are simply a reminder of the wonder her body is capable of, and each one tells a different story. Maybe if we all looked at our bodies this way, we'd begin to feel a lot better about ourselves.

Writing on Instagram, Sarah said: "Yesterday I had to pull some images for a future project and I found myself staring at these two photos as I scrolled back in the camera roll. These two images that interestingly enough, are in the proper order of their time stamps.

"How these little electric lines were first drawn by my skin for Maya. A few more on my hip for Jemma. Strengthened and elongated for Boden. And all of them, leaving a mark and space for Lemmie. All of them, marks of my own growth, too.

"For the longest time, I always saw this as such a failure. Did I not use the right creams? Was it because I was too young and my body couldn't handle it? Why didn't I see them on anyone else?

"And now? Now, I get to see them for what they are. Expanders. Signs of Growth. Stretching, without breaking. Really freaking normal, to be honest.

"Exactly how it was meant to be. Exactly how I was meant to be shaped. Even, if differently than how someone else was."

She continued: "Maybe I was never meant to love it. Maybe I was meant to cry over it, if it lead me to a greater perspective and appreciation. Maybe, I was just meant to respect it.

"Because I respect the hell out of anything that will literally shape shift to allow room for life, love and a whole lot more FOR me, made out OF me. I just respect the hell out of it.

"So in this life, there is going to be so many ways that each of us will be marked by life, by growth, by change. These, are some of mine."

Since Sarah shared the post over 43,000 people have liked it, and her followers were quick to comment too. People thanked her for opening up about body image in such an inspiring way.

One person said: "I’ve no kids and still have stretch marks like this." Another wrote: "I’m so grateful for you. You helped me re-set my brain a little, allowing me to see myself differently."

A third replied: "Our stretch marks could be twins. So thankful I found your account to learn to love them and not feel ashamed." Meanwhile, a fourth commented: "I don’t ever get why women are grossed out by them, when they’re your warrior marks from braving carrying a baby, for some of us we have those marks as proof we carried babies we didn’t get to keep, I love mine."

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