Shay Mitchell Recalls Criticism She Received After Giving Birth to Her Daughter Atlas

Shay Mitchell is looking back at criticism she received after giving birth to her daughter, Atlas.

The 34-year-old Pretty Little Liars actress spoke with Women’s Health about the comments she received on social media and how she found strength after her pregnancy.

Click inside to read what she said…

“Right after I had Atlas, if I ever made a comment about how I didn’t feel like myself, people were like, ‘Well, you just had a baby,’” she explained. “Yeah, I know I just had a baby. I’m very grateful for my body, and that it gave life, but I’m still allowed to express that I don’t feel like myself.”

Shay added that she began using her fitness regimen to give her a sense of normalcy and feel motivated during the pandemic, which came only five months after she had given birth to Atlas.

But when she began posting before and after photos of her body on Instagram, the actress received backlash from users who thought she was using photoshop to alter her appearance or wasn’t appreciating her post-baby body.

“I was strong before I had Atlas, and I wanted to feel that way after,” she said. “We celebrate our bodies before we’re pregnant; we celebrate our bodies with bumps. We should also celebrate our bodies at whatever point we feel our best again.”

One of the biggest milestones in her fitness journey was practicing her deadlifts.

“Getting up to 50 pounds was a boss move,” she shared. “I was really proud of myself.”

Shay shares Atlas with her boyfriend Matte Babel. A few months ago, she opened up about their relationship in an interview.