“Lay your hands upon me, everyone, I am life.” Lilith Crane, Cheers’ stiff and cold TV-psychiatrist and beloved android-esque character, declared those words after stepping into the iconic Cheers bar (Season 7, Episode 16). It got a laugh, along with the rest of her speech where she gushes about the miracle and “religious wonder” of growing a child in her womb. This was on primetime TV, and though meant to be a joke in many ways, spoke, to some degree, to the general social understanding of the time: children are life and mothers are the “cradle of life”. I’m probably not the only one who would love to see if Hollywood would even dare put this in a show these days without it coming from the mouth of an already-insipid, overly Christian character we’re all meant to find annoying to begin with. 

Bump Pride

By the time that episode aired, Roe v. Wade had already been around for fifteen years, but mothers hadn’t yet lost their social standing. We still seemed to deem motherhood sacred and it was still a point of pride. In fact, just three years later, in 1991, Demi Moore showed off her baby bump on the cover of “Vanity Fair”. In 1999, pregnant Cindy Crawford was on the cover of “W”, and a pregnant Britney Spears was featured on “Harper’s Bazaar” in 2006. They aren’t the only ones. Through the years, celebrities have appeared on the cover of big magazines cradling their baby bellies and talking about their experiences. 

While this trend is not completely gone, it has faded as celebrities navigate the balance between celebrating their new addition—often via gestational surrogates—maintaining a pro-choice stance, and controlling their narrative on social media. However, it’s our position, here at AmericanMom, that 2025 (and beyond) be the year of the bump. And we’re using Tiffany Trump as inspiration! She posed on inauguration day with her bump in a gorgeous gray gown. Only a few days later, her dad signed an executive order defunding Planned Parenthood. The love for new life is there, we just have to reach out and embrace it!

Moms-to-Be Reclaim the Spotlight!

We propose that we bring back the trend of posing, proud and glowing, showing off the baby bump and all it means for the future of your family and mankind. You are, after all, a “cradle of life” actively participating in and sacrificing your personal comfort for the “religious wonder” of life and motherhood. 

Why we ever let ourselves, as a society, shame ourselves into hating our own flesh and blood will forever be a mystery. But it’s 2025, we’re taking back the baby bump, reclaiming motherhood, making more babies, and looking to the future of our species. 

If you’re an expecting mama, we challenge you to post a picture of your bump! You don’t have to go full Demi Moore (clothes are welcome lol) but we want you to be proud of the amazing miracle you’re bringing into the world!

Read more about motherhood and treat yourself to unexpectedly pro-life movies!