Serena Williams Says Her Confidence Is "Coming Back" While Getting Stomach-Tightening Procedure

Serena Williams is learning how to be her own biggest fan.

The tennis legend recently admitted that it's hard for her to practice self-care when she's focused on being the best mom to daughters, Olympia, 6, and Adira River, 10 months, who she shares with husband Alexis Ohanian.

"Being ok to take time for myself is something I have always struggled with," she began her June 15 Instagram caption. "I finally started started being ok to take an hour (during nap time) away from my kids and work to do something for myself."

She added, "I always feel guilty leaving them but I have to also remember taking care of myself, will only help me take better care of them."

Luckily, the 42-year-old has the best cheerleaders. Serena revealed that during a recent girls' trip to Paris, a friend treated her to a spa day, where she underwent a skin-tightening procedure.

"She knows after 2 babies I have been self conscious of my tummy," the retired athlete continued. "The results have been amazing. I can see progress with my skin going back to normal and my confidence coming back."

And while Serena enjoyed the stomach-sculpting procedure, she made it clear she's not trying to change her appearance.

"Listen my body will never be the same but neither will I cause I have 2 amazing lights in my life," she noted. "I will always love my birthing scars but I just wanted to say thanks to my friend Mia and Nat for letting me know it's ok to take time for myself away from work and kids."

Of course, this isn't the first time the 23-time Grand Slam champion has embraced her postpartum curves. 

"Loving yourself is essential," Serena wrote in a Feb. 12 Instagram, alongside a photo of herself in a bikini. "I find that I have to remind myself of that self-love through all different stages in my life."

The mom of two reminded other moms why there's no need to sweat over a snap back.

"Right now I love that my body is not picture perfect," she expressed. "I love that I smell like milk—that milk sustains @adiraohanian. I love getting to know a new version of my body. It is a change, but it's a change that has been well worth it."

As for her all-star tips to other parents? "Start this week, knowing that you are loved, and that starts with you."

Serena is just one of the many celebrity moms who have spoken out about their postpartum experience. Keep reading to see what other celebs have shared.

"I think my breastfeeding journey was also very empowering because it was so difficult," Keke told Essence in an interview published Aug. 21. "And I wanted to give up at so many different points, but I just kept pushing myself and kept trying to figure it out."

She added, "The relationship I had with my son during that process empowered me to get back up and do things for myself again."

The Game alum, who shares son Cree, 12, and daughter Cairo, 5, with ex-husband Cory Hardrict, opened up about her struggles with breastfeeding. "When I had Cree, I was struggling to breastfeed him," she wrote in an Aug. 10 Instagram. I was only able to breastfeed for 3 months before having to switch to formula. And during the second time, I found that I was able to breastfeed Cairo for 13 months." 

She continued, "Nonetheless, the journey was difficult...if you are struggling with breastfeeding, I want you to know that it is more than okay to feed your children formula. As long as your children are fed, loved, happy, and supported that's all that matters."

The House Bunny actress snapped a photo of herself nursing daughter Louetta, who she shares with musician Derek Richard Thomas, during a family beach day in August 2023.

In a carousel of Instagram pictures, the former Victoria's Secret model shared a photo of herself breastfeeding her and Jason Statham's baby girl, Isabella. 

In May 2022, Ashley Graham shared a photo of herself feeding her twin boys, Malachi Ervin and Roman Ervin, at the same time. She captioned the post, "double fisting (peep the whacky tan lines)."

In March 2021, the Victoria's Secret model shared a pic of herself on Instagram breastfeeding her baby girl, Tuulikki Joan Daly. A couple of hours later, she shared the same photo on her Instagram Story, writing, "Find it interesting the amount of dms I get from men who get offended when you post a photo breastfeeding... Like, why is the most natural thing so offending to you? Breasts literally excists [sic] so we can feed our children [red heart emoji]."

The Twilight star opened up about breastfeeding her 20-month-old daughter Bodhi Soleil Reed Somerhalder in an Instagram post in 2019. "To be honest, I have no idea how long her and I will be on this journey together. I follow her lead, and she tells me exactly what she needs," she wrote.

"little bear," Kehlani tweeted in 2019, along with photos of her and baby Adeya.

"On a lighter note.... @acrebaja was bomb," the actress shared on Instagram while kicking off 2019, after welcoming her second child, daughter Banks. 

"Feeding time for the little munchkin," Robin Thicke's girlfriend wrote by a video of her feeding their daughter Mia. 

The actress breastfed son Grey, writing on Instagram in 2017, "BREASTFEEDING=JUDGEMENT FREE ZONE!"

The Hills alum and mom of one told her Instagram followers in 2016 that her sister, Casey Loza, is "always capturing me in moments. #momonthego."

The actress is all smiles as she snaps a selfie of her feeding her little one.

The model mom of two encourages other moms to share #breastfeedingselfie pics.

The Bravo star astutely pointed out in 2016 that "this #breastfeeding stuff is no joke."

The actress shared this photo in honor of daughter Elizabella's first birthday in 2015. "Happy Birthday, my beautiful Elizabella. You've taught me that my heart has no end. You were the missing piece to my soul. Thank you for choosing me," she wrote.