Steph Claire Smith addresses online hate after posting bikini pictures while pregnant

Steph Claire Smith has taken aim at online haters who ridiculed her for posting a bikini picture with her 17-week pregnant belly, saying she was “rattled” to cop the backlash just because she’s a mum.

Influencer Steph Claire Smith had addressed the judgement she’s received online from her followers since posting bikini pics while pregnant. Picture: Instagram

Steph Claire Smith is used to the backlash. It comes with the territory of sharing every part of your personal story, from the good, sad, celebratory and raw, on social media.

But when the Forbes young richlister, who has quite literally made a fortune from turning her social media savviness and truth telling into a lucrative empire, proudly posted a picture of herself in a bikini with her 17-week pregnant belly to her 1.4 million plus followers only to be met with backlash, it rankled.

Steph Claire Smith was met with backlash when she posted a photo of herself in a bikini 17-weeks pregnant online. Picture: Instagram

The KIC co-founder with best friend and business partner Laura Henshaw openly laughs she is a “bit of a nudist” and has never had any qualms about posting pictures of herself in swimwear.

Steph Claire Smith openly laughs she’s a ‘bit of a nudist’. Picture: Instagram

Having started her career as a bikini model it kind of makes sense, but then comes the naysayers.

“My following has grown over 13 years and I understand there are different people following me as there might have been from the start, but I think for me this week getting backlash comments for me being in a bikini as a mum kind of rattled me,” the fitfluencer and mum of one told Page 13.

“Number one, people should be able to feel confident and comfortable to wear whatever is good for them. And people can have opinions but there is not necessarily any need to share them.”

That we are still having conversations about mums and their tums in 2024 seems ludicrous, but in her usual way Claire Smith has used the opportunity to share and spread light that women and mums can have many facets and, yes, still be sexy.

Fitfluencers Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw for the KIC Champions run. Picture: Supplied,

Which also includes working out, she and Henshaw will on Tuesday hold one of their popular KIC Champions run in St Kilda’s Catani gardens with New Balance gifting community members marathon bibs where everyone can write affirmations and goals they are running towards.

Take that haters!