'Bachelor' alum Lauren Bushnell Lane reflects on postpartum body-shaming: 'I feel like I've developed a pretty thick skin'

Two months after responding to body-shaming by an Instagram follower, Lauren Bushnell Lane is reflecting on her approach to social media since having a baby.

The Bachelor alum gave birth to her son Dutton Walker Lane, who she shares with husband Chris Lane, in June 2021. Since sharing him on her social media platforms, she says she's become a bit more protective.

"I go into mama bear mode whenever anything is said about my son," she told Us Weekly, "which honestly rarely happens. I feel like now, at least for me, social media seems like it’s a bit more of a positive place than it was six years ago when I first came off The Bachelor."

In one particular instance in February, however, a follower made a negative comment about Lauren's postpartum body, saying that the new mom looked "sickly." The 32-year-old used the message to speak up about body image issues and body shaming.

"No matter what I do I cannot gain weight," Lauren responded via her Instagram Stories. "The only time in the last 10 [years] I've been able to is being pregnant or on oral contraceptives. Otherwise it's just how my body wants to me. I wish I had my pregnancy booty but I don't and apparently some people on the internet don't like that."

She continued, "I think what makes me the most sad is as a new mom I've given my baby everything including my body but still get messages criticizing it."

Although she felt compelled to share that message, Lauren told Us Weekly that the negativity doesn't get to her like it used to.

"I hate to say that I'm used to it, but I kind of am. I feel like I've developed a pretty thick skin post-Bachelor days and all of that, so it doesn't really bother me a whole lot. But it definitely stings more when it has to do with your child, I've noticed," she said.

Lauren went on to talk about how she and Chris have been getting into a better groove with parenting since their baby boy has turned 9 months old. One thing she misses about pregnancy is her stomach and the security that came with carrying her son.

"I liked having a little bump and just like knowing that he was always safe inside of me, you know," Lauren said. "Now, I’ll have to leave the house and he'll be home and it was like when he was in my belly I just knew he was there all the time."

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