I'm not a parent, nor have I ever had the desire to be a parent (no offense to kids, many of y'all are great, it's just not my thing). As such, I typically scroll right on by any parenting content that makes it way onto my TikTok or Instagram explore pages. But recently, one such video piqued my interest: It was about getting your pink back.
Moms on TikTok Are 'Getting Their Pink Back' After Baby—Here's What That Means
It's surprisingly wholesome
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Published May 24, 2024
Goodboy Picture Company/getty images
In the first 'getting my pink back' video I saw, creator Allison Kuch (who's a great follow, by the way) looks happy in the gym while taking in her three-month postpartum body. The text overlay on the video reads, "Trying to get my 'pink' back," and Kuch captions the video, "3 months postpartum and finally feeling more like myself." I was perplexed. Getting your pink back? I immediately assumed it was gynecological. It's not, but the real meaning is pretty wholesome.
A few years ago, another TikTok creator, Lindsey Gurk, shared a video talking about a fact she'd heard about flamingos. (She now has a Get Your Pink Back clothing and accessories line.) According to Gurk, flamingo mothers expend so much energy caring for their young that they lose the pink color they're known for. Once their offspring grow up a bit, though, flamingos can get their pink back. In human mothers, getting your pink back is all about, as Kuch puts it, feeling more like yourself after the craziness that is new motherhood.
What was most surprising to me were the comments on Kuch's video. The comments section is a notoriously toxic place, but there are so many sweet, supportive notes from other parents. "Remember [to give] yourself grace when you don't feel like yourself, you are beautiful, you are strong, you are smart," one reads, while another says, "So glad to see more postpartum women taking time for themselves. Love to see it." Even commenters who are still not feeling quite like themselves offered words of encouragement. One user writes, "Almost 14 months postpartum and nowhere close to getting my pink back. Even if the destination is the same, everyone's journey is different. Love to all the mamas."
In a world where it feels like everything new parents do is examined under a judgmental microscope, it's nice to know there are still pockets of positivity and support.
