Stretch marks are the unspoken war wounds of motherhood. They’re the marks that mums cover up when they head to the beach. We rarely see female bodies, baring their stretch marks for all to see, on social media.

But one mum has called bull sh*t on societal norms by sharing a photo of her stretch marks, captured by Aaron Turner of Expressions Untold.

Sabrina Ewell a yoga instructer and mum to two sons aged, 19 and 8, took part in a photo shoot by Turner.

Turner was struck by one powerful image that shared the physical marks of motherhood on Ewell’s midsection.

Deep breath… So this is me… in all my 19 year postpartum glory… I thought this was baggage for so many years. Contemplated tummy tucks numerous times. Had people give me home remedies to “fix” it that never worked. Felt ashamed because I didn’t look like societal norms… But I’ve been on a journey of self-discovery for the last 2 years, and the universe has lined me up with thoughts, circumstances, and people that have allowed me to connect with my authentic self. I no longer look to societal norms to define who the fuck I am. I am unapologetically me in my bikinis as I do handstands on the beach because I’m the shit. Fuck your photoshopped imagery because your bullshit no longer applies to me. ✌? #Repost @expressionsuntold___ with @repostapp ・・・ Why be ashamed? A life grew inside of you that gives humanity hope of change. You felt things that I as a man will never understand. Even when you first held your baby girl or boy it was nothing similar to when they lay in their father’s hands. Your body changed and so did you. It became a look into the past of what you went through. You grew mentally and emotionally and your spirit was taken to places you didn’t think it would ever go. Your breasts may sit differently. Your ass may not be as thick as it once was. But why should it be when you gave so much of yourself to help all of us. A sacrifice of sorts if you choose to see it that way. But to me your body now is exactly how it’s supposed to be. So don’t be ashamed. Don’t hide your changes from the world that you and your sisters helped create. Be proud of your story. Be proud of your lines. Be proud of who you’ve chosen to be.. . . Muse: @sereneradianceyoga Photo by @expressionsuntold___ #sereneradianceyoga #blackgirlmagic #notashamed #motherhood #stretchmarks #society #selfhatred #selflove #blessed #tigerstripes #badgeofhonor #postpartum #postpartumbody #pregnancy by @sereneradianceyoga

Ewell told the Huffington post, “He said he saw the power and message in it, how beautiful my body was with all its changes.”

Both Ewell and Turner shared the photo on Instagram.

Ewell posted a moving caption with the photo, explaining her journey to accepting her body, postpartum.

“So this is me,” she began. “I thought this was baggage for so many years. Contemplated tummy tucks numerous times. Had people give me home remedies to ‘fix’ it that never worked. Felt ashamed because I didn’t look like societal norms.”

“I no longer look to societal norms to define who the f*ck I am,” she proclaimed. “I am unapologetically me in my bikinis as I do handstands on the beach because I’m the sh*t. F*ck your photoshopped imagery because your bullsh*t no longer applies to me.”

Turner, shared a different, thought provoking caption when he posted the photo on his Instagram account.

Why be ashamed? A life grew inside of you that gives humanity hope of change. You felt things that I as a man will never understand. Even when you first held your baby girl or boy it was nothing similar to when they lay in their father’s hands. Your body changed and so did you. It became a look into the past of what you went through. You grew mentally and emotionally and your spirit was taken to places you didn’t think it would ever go. Your breasts may sit differently. Your ass may not be as thick as it once was. But why should it be when you gave so much of yourself to help all of us. A sacrifice of sorts if you choose to see it that way. But to me your body now is exactly how it’s supposed to be. So don’t be ashamed. Don’t hide your changes from the world that you and your sisters helped create. Be proud of your story. Be proud of your lines. Be proud of who you’ve chosen to be.. . . Muse: @sereneradianceyoga Photo by @expressionsuntold___ #blacklove #sapiosexual #expressionsuntold #mothers by @expressionsuntold___

“Why be ashamed? A life grew inside of you that gives humanity hope of change,” he wrote. “You felt things that I as a man will never understand. Even when you first held your baby girl or boy it was nothing similar to when they lay in their father’s hands. Your body changed and so did you.”

“Don’t hide your changes from the world that you and your sisters helped create. Be proud of your story. Be proud of your lines. Be proud of who you’ve chosen to be.”

Turner’s post received over 1,800 likes on Instagram. Yet despite the support towards the picture, Ewell was nervous about doing the photo shoot.

“I’m blown away at how far I’ve come in my perception of my stretch marks,” she said. “After giving birth, I, like many new mothers, anxiously awaited the return of my pre-pregnancy body, but began to feel inadequate and unhappy about the parts of me that were now different. I was ashamed. My smooth midsection had been replaced by loose, sagging skin.”

“Postpartum bodies are to be celebrated for being givers of life, not condemned for the inability to fit into what society says is beautiful,” she said. “I hope by being so vulnerable in this picture and sharing it with the public I am able to mitigate some of the anxiety moms may be feeling about their own bodies,” said the mum.

Ewell hopes the photo will encourage mums to accept their postpartum bodies and realise there is nothing wrong with them if they do get stretch marks. No mum should be ashamed of her body.

She hopes the photo provides positive discussions of self-acceptance and self-worth amongst women.

But as she knows herself, it can be a tough journey to self- acceptance. But this photo has certainly made a start.