Caroline Berg Eriksen, Fitness Blogger, Under Fire For Post-Baby Underwear Selfie

by at .  Updated at . Comments

Norwegian soccer wife and fitness blogger Caroline Berg Eriksen is under fire for sharing a photo of her flat stomach four days after giving birth.

Yes, four days.

Needless to say, the image went viral on Instagram, and many who saw it were not pleased. In a matter of days, Eriksen was the new Maria Kang.

"This is not a selfie. It is an act of war," wrote one Australian blogger in response. "This whole situation has become ludicrous. There is no other word for it."


Eriksen posted the photo of herself on Instagram, along with the caption, "I feel so empty… 4 days after birth," rapidly igniting the online backlash.

"Women are sick of this omnipresent pressure to get our bodies back," wrote another blogger in response to the picture, which she called a "toxic message."

"When you're juggling a newborn's needs, running on no sleep and trying to take care of yourself," the critic added, this is undue and unreasonable pressure.

Twitter users called Eriksen, the wife of soccer star Lars-Kristian Eriksen, and her abs "intimidating," "unhelpful," "obviously a freak," and "unfair to all women."

Is that taking it a little too far, though? Some would say so.

Caroline Berg Eriksen Photo

Australian Telegraph writer Sarrah Le Marquand offered a more balanced review of the situation, tweeting that yes, Eriksen is a "shameless exhibitionist."

However, "slamming the super-fit and genetically freakish likes of [Eriksen]" is also casting judgment, and moms "are faced with far too much of that already."

Prenatal nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Melinda Johnson also warns against jumping to conclusions here.


The picture alone is of one woman on the Internet, and "doesn't tell us anything at all about her health, the health of her pregnancy [or] even her happiness."

On Instagram itself, the controversial photo of the fit mom has been "liked" more than 21,000 times and counting, and comments have been overwhelmingly positive.


Love it or hate it, the photo of this mom and her washboard stomach is just the latest online blowup in the ongoing discussion of pregnancy and body image.

From Fit Mom and CrossFit Mom to the scrutinizing narrative about Kate Middleton and other celebrities' post-baby bodies, the debate remains heated.

Don't look for the tensions to subside anytime soon, either.

What do you think of Caroline Berg Eriksen's photo?

Tags: , , ,

Why does she feel the need for fake breasts if she's so confident?


Take away the huge breast implants that, believe it or not, are only temporary and she is just another skinny woman with pancakes for breasts. Not impressed.


Shew I wish my body looked like that 4 fays after I had my kid. Peoples bodies are just different don't be made and jealous cause our bodies wasn't made for that.


If thats what she looks like 4 day after giving birth for her.She was obviously blessed with great genes and who knows she's probably very active and likes to stay in shape. Good for her, but it doesn't mean other women should have to do the same. Women need to enjoy their new baby and not worry about losing weight. Don't hate someone for how they look. Say good job and move on. If you keep living your life compared to others its gonna suck and never be good enough. Be happy with what you have and learn to cheer others on and they'll do the same for you. Congrats to her. I would love to have her post baby body. Like others I joke and say I hate her out of jealous, but don't really hate her. Woman be happy being moms and don't worry about your body not being perfect right after. Take care of your baby's body and enjoy it!


If i looked like that 4 days out id be happy about it too!! She obviously works hard to keep that figure. dont understand why everyones so angry!




God people, GET A LIFE! I say way to go to her for being able to deliver a healthy baby, and look like this 4 days after. God knows I wish I'd been able to do it. Not every woman is the same. She is obviously fit and has trained her body to metabolize faster than others. If anything, I'd think women would be congratulating her and asking for tips. Grow up morons


I wish i could do that. I wish i never had stretch marks. But its no reason to bash on this woman for most of us want. If someone has what we don't, just be happy for that someone has it. This world, Jeeze. The people saying this isn't fair to other women and a slap in the face, GET OVER IT. We are not all like this, and it's better to accept it and work towards what we want than have hate in your heart and bad vibes over something we can change and that someone else so happens to have that you can't necessarily have at the moment.


Anyone who spoke negatively about her just because she got her body back right after she had her baby should be ashamed of themselves. Go cry a river to a psychiatrist if your so unhappy with your fucken body that you got bitch like a whiney child. Not all women keep there baby fat or even get stretch marks because me and plenty of other women I know do not have traces of a pregnancy its not called being ashamed!! Its just our bodies get back to what it was before our pregnancy. Every single woman who left a negative comment really needs a crash course on the human anatomy specifically that not every body is the same.

@ Lexi

I agree with you. So she has her great body immediately after giving birth. AND? Has the world become so lazy, they have nothing better to do than sit around and bitch about someone who is confident enough about their selves to post a picture this close after birth? MY daughters 11 and I still struggle with weight loss, but I'm confident enough and a big enough person to give this woman props. I could see if the baby was malnourished or ill because she'd not taken care of herself during her pregnancy, but since I see no info about that, and I don't know this woman personally, I say to all the morons out there bitching..GET A LIFE!


So we are scolded for "slut-shaming" and "fat-shaming" but THIS apparent "fit-shaming" is allowed, and not seen as bullying? Oh, hai, double standards. If you work out, eat well, and have pride in your appearance, you can shut up about it, but don't you DARE even give the smidge of a side-eye to the obese and slovenly.

@ Starla

THANK YOU! Oh these stories are so pissing me off. I am so sick of this new, very real, and apparently very common "fit shaming" that has been going on lately. I had a friend get kicked out of a bar because someone asked him how he lost weight, and he said got serious, told the girl the truth...and then the bar owner, overhearing him, got pissed off and kicked him out. WHAT?! It's getting frustrating to live in this world, where obesity is becoming rampant, yet we are apparently suppose to accept it, because telling someone they should probably lose weight, especially so they don't die of heart failure, is so wrong! Excuse me?