Mom with 60 Tattoos Shares Reactions to Appearance While Pregnant (Exclusive)

Loki has nearly 60 pieces of art inked onto her body, and her appearance received mixed reactions, especially while she was pregnant and baring her inked bump.

Three years ago, Loki — 24 years old and a content creator in addition to being a stay-at-home mom — got a large colorful butterfly tattoo on her lower stomach that she designed during an apprenticeship. She tells PEOPLE, “Butterflies have always held a special meaning to me, symbolizing self-discovery and growth.” And after struggling with anorexia, the ink on her midriff became a “beautiful ode” to her emotional and physical “recovery.”

Then, she became pregnant, and the butterfly took on a whole new meaning and appearance, especially as she watched the tattoo and its surrounding pieces “quite literally double in size” up until the 40-week mark when her son was born (she documented the before and after in a TikTok video that has gone viral with over 4 million views).

“I’m a very sentimental person, and I think growing life is something to be so proud of. [The butterfly tattoo] got little changes after I gave birth, but that is always something to celebrate. Any reminder of pregnancy is a happy and beautiful reminder,” she says.

Just as she did online in front of her TikTok followers, Loki, who is a mom to two sons, had no reservations about showcasing her bump “every day” in real life during both her pregnancies

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

“I didn’t buy one single maternity item. I just wore crop tops and skirts. I loved pregnancy and I love that women are celebrating their bumps and wearing what makes them feel great,” she says.

She admits that “funny looks and double-takes” were absolutely a part of her experience. “I got some wild stares when I was pregnant. I had multiple people literally stop walking and stare. I even had someone assume I had a one-night stand and fell pregnant, all because of my appearance. I have had so many different reactions, but the positive always outweighs the negative. Sometimes it’s just that it’s new to some.”

Those positive reactions came in the form of “compliments” on her body art. “I’ve had multiple occasions where elderly women have told me they don’t usually like tattoos, but thought mine were beautiful. Even two who told me they wished they had got them and regretted it now,” she shares. “Pregnancy and art deserve to be celebrated.”

Loki, who was inspired to get tattooed after seeing a group up of inked up motorcyclists when she was 8, had and always will love tattoos. And when she’s moved on from the early stages of motherhood, she’s excited to get back to what she loves. “Once I finish breastfeeding and having kids, I’ll make sure to fill all the gaps on my body with other beautiful pieces of art.”