Wear your bump with pride!
That is what Tori Spelling is telling fans and pregnant women out there after facing an onslaught of criticism for flaunting her baby bump in sexy bikinis.
Spelling says she was hit with a barrage of insults that criticized not only her body ("Ewww. She’s pregnant! Cover that bump up! No one wants to see that!!") but also her motherhood ("NOT motherly AT ALL. In future years she will surely regret that unflattering picture. COVER up girl!").
The 39-year-old, who is currently pregnant with her fourth child with husband Dean McDermott, took to her blog, ediTORIal, to speak out against all the haters:
I have to say, I’m super proud of my bump. Why should I be embarrassed and cover up something that’s the greatest gift a woman can experience? A pregnant woman in any shape or size is beautiful! Pregnancy is an amazing journey and we preggers should be able to show it off. I call it BUMP PROUD! Embrace your growing curves and bourgeoning belly.
Plus, we are hard at work baking a baby. It’s not easy! It’s tough. We have aches and pains and things happen to our bodies we never imagined, so we should have the same right - if not more - to dress how we want without judgment. Plus, I would wear either of those bathing suits before pregnancy (and I have! Plus, the monokini is vintage and 70’s crochet chic) so why shouldn't I be able to now just because I have a big baby belly?
Spelling defended her role as a mother, saying, "I’m making a conscious choice to show my daughters that they can express themselves and be proud as a woman of their bodies. I don't ever want them to think that they should be ashamed of or self-conscious of their bodies, no matter what shape it's in."
Along with the blog post, Spelling added a photo of herself in a purple bikini holding her pregnant belly. She digitally pasted the words "Bump Proud" over her stomach.
Babble's Shanaaborn said that, although one of the bikinis Spelling was criticized for was a sexy, black crochet number, she still looked great.
"It was no different from the barely-there suits that sell so many copies of Sports Illustrated. If it’s good enough for a flat-bellied supermodel, it’s good enough for a second-trimester actress," she wrote, adding, "And let’s face it – Tori looks amazing. If I was in that kind of shape, pregnant or not, I might be tempted to get into a two-piece myself."
What do you think of Spelling's "Wear Your Bump Proud!" mantra?
LOOK: Tori Spelling shows off her growing baby bump in a bikini while spending Memorial Day 2011 on the beach with her family.