Jennifer Metcalfe reveals why she shared a candid post-baby pic FOUR WEEKS after giving birth

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New mum and Hollyoaks actress Jennifer Metcalfe has revealed why she shared a candid snap of her post-baby body just four weeks after giving birth.

Jennifer welcomed her first child, son Daye, with her boyfriend, 32-year-old Greg Lake, four months ago and the new family live together in Newcastle. After 11 years playing Mercedes McQueen on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, the 35-year-old is taking a year’s maternity leave.

Talking exclusively to Fabulous magazine, the brunette beauty credited ex-Geordie Shore starGreg with giving her the self-confidence she used to lack.

‘Greg has been incredible,’ she said. ‘He just loves me when I look like a scraggly cat, as we call it, when I have no make-up on and my hair’s scraped back and a little scruffy. He’s really helped me embrace me.’

This, perhaps, explains why Jennifer was happy to share a candid snap of herself on Instagram four weeks post-birth looking glowing and healthy while wearing just a bra and knickers.

4weeks afta my boy as vacated his apartment this is wat I'm left wi n it really isn't that bad!I know alot o women feel anxious about wat their postpartum body will look like,but4me,this was the least o my worries(I ada poo pregnancy!)I want worried about wat my body was goin2look like wen my boy ad finished usin it 2grow,Instead I was intrigued/excited 2c the new me..n I like it! 😍💃🏻The boobs av finally settled down.Afta breastfeeding they swelled beyond belief,going frm a modest 'B' 2a neva seen before 'F'(leftie must av been @least a 'G'😳)they were lumpy,absolutely wrecked n my once lil brown nips ad trebled in size.I couldn't wait 2c,afta all this,wat they were guna look like.These r more than ok,I fed a human wi them,they r awesome!🤗Where my flat tummy turned bump once was,I now ava squishy bit of comfort4both my boys!Lil man uses it 2bounce off 2relieve his wind☺️n Gregs gon frm babysittin him in my tummy to holdin the"squidge"whilst e sleeps (usually not for long👶🏻😅)me all cozy under the arm.Arms n legs are wobblier n I'm defo rounder,but I think the extra lbs suit as I get older.With r long morning walks wen daddy goes 2work 4cappuccino n toast n all the rocking,he❤️'s rocking😅I'm sure they will firm up soon.I'm still hairy👹I swore once I cud c IT again I would sort it but these days I have biga fish 2fry,so pls dnt judge if u spot a spiders leg or 10!The bum😳the bums BIIIIG..but the size as actually stretched out the cellulite abit😂 so every cloud 🌩💫Everythin as healed downstairs n ova the nxt couple wks mayb ill ava nose.This does make me slightly anxious..on it with the pelvic floors😂I av lots of friends who r pregnant/new mums. I know their new bodies can make em feel insecure n down.I think it's important we c unfiltered bodies durin n after r babies n celebrate them! I❤️'d seeing ow my body adapted to accommodate new life n its truly,beautifully,mind blowin.If u dnt like it,there's always diets/gym wen u av recovered!So 4now try to enjoy ur perfect changing shell❤️I wanted 2post sooner but my new home (Gregs former bachelor pad)didnt ava full length mirror.I sorted this,amongst uva things😏with a fab Argos1,gr8 buy @£29 don't ya think🙌🏽

A post shared by Jen Metcalfe (@missjenjomet) on Jul 22, 2017 at 12:46pm PDT

‘That was to say we don’t all look perfect,’ she explained. ‘You can look perfect if you want all the filters, but this is the reality, too. I can’t be bothered with a filter.’

The new mum admits that she’s always struggled with diets and exercise, adding: ‘I think a lot of girls do in their 20s.’

Feel pretty smug with my locks right now 💁🏻 Everyone said after giving birth /breast feeding, your hair "shreads" gets "fine" and it will "really get u down" .. I wasn't bothered about what my body would look like after lil man but I wanted to avoid the above so bad if I could! I did my research and got onto @regrowz .. Wow, unlike a lot of hair vitamins I have used in the past, the results are almost immediate.. after just 1 month I have not only successfully managed to avoid what I had dreaded but I now have even thicker, longer, shinier, healthier hair .. Absolutely made up with the results .. thank u @regrowz for been amazin! 💃🏻🙌🏽😘

A post shared by Jen Metcalfe (@missjenjomet) on Oct 3, 2017 at 7:58am PDT

‘But there are bigger things in life than how you look, or a little bit of fat, or cellulite or a stretch mark. It just doesn’t really matter.’

‘I think women’s bodies are amazing.’

The star goes on to say that the fact women can give birth is ‘just incredible’.

Jennifer’s birth was a ‘good experience’, even though it was a little scary when Daye’s heartbeat dropped and his cord was in a knot.

‘The midwives made me feel like superwoman! I’d do 10 hour labours over pregnancy again,’ she declared.

When the subject of more kids came up the star told Fabulous: ‘I have days like: “We need to do this again, I want five” and days where I’m like: “I’m not sure, should we adopt?” Ask me this time next year!’