by Jamie Kenney

Gilbert Flores/Billboard/Getty Images

Earlier this month, Cardi B gave birth to her third child with her estranged (and soon to be ex) husband Offset. A baby girl, whom the rapper describes as “the prettiest lil thing,” was born September 9 and joins older siblings Kulture and Wave. Unfortunately, Cardi is already feeling the need to defend her decisions in the postpartum period because, as we learn over and over again, when it comes to what women choose to do with their bodies the only way to win the game is not to play.

A little over a week after giving birth, Cardi posted an Instagram story of her getting her steps in on a stair-climber machine alongside Behind the Likes podcast co-host Chy Fontenette. “Whoo!” she says while climbing slowly. “We’re not playing with y’all.” The update was posted to Twitter and retweeted by @BassieLastrassi with the comment. “It’s barely been a week. Yoh, the pressure women in the industry are under? Insane.”

The tweet has garnered over 60,000 likes as of press time, but the response that’s earned the most attention came in the form of a retweet… from Ms. Belcalis “Cardi B” Almánzar herself.

“This is my third baby and postpartum is a little different from my first two,” she began. “I’m not doing heavy lifting, no muscle straining, squatting none of that… just cardio. Sometimes to avoid postpartum depression you gotta keep your mind busy and for me that’s work and staying active… but you know what’s funny?? Y’all dragged me down when I gained 15 pounds because I was 5 months pregnant but now yall fake concerned and wanna talk about pressure??? Y’all said I was pregnant to avoid working now that you see I’m still at it it’s something else?? So yeah I’m taking this personal but its FOR ME because either way y’all are gonna have something to say.”

For their part, @BassieLastrassi was quick to clarify that “the tweet was never an indictment on you but rather society’s expectations of women and ‘snap back’ culture.” Which, yes, but also imagine how exhausting it must be to be a new mom and within a week of giving birth know that tens of thousands of people are questioning the choices you’re making about your own body.

Cardi was magnanimous in her reply to @BassieLastrassi retweeting her clarification saying

“Totally babe!! And I do agree about society and pressure…I just was never the type to care about snap back after birth. I don’t know what it is about this time around but I have this burst of energy where I want to do EVERYTHING… It’s like I want to complete all my goals in one day.”

Everyone who gives birth is different and every birth is different. Sometimes someone gets lucky and the energy is just there so why not make use of it? Especially since doctors agree, at both the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the National Health Service that you can start gentle exercise again after a normal vaginal birth whenever you feel ready.

So keep climbing those stairs, Cardi, and congratulations on your little one!