Postpartum Bodies: The ‘Bounce Back’ Isn’t Real — ‘Embracing’ Ourselves is Complicated
Pregnancy and postpartum life transforms our bodies in beautiful, yet occasionally uncomfortable, ways
By my late 20s, it finally happened. The combination of a mindset shift and positive life changes left me with my healthiest and happiest body image ever, which had seemed all but impossible during my years of extreme dieting, punishing exercise regimes and debilitatingly low self-esteem.
Then my husband and I decided to have a baby.
Although I looked forward to motherhood and even pregnancy itself, I also anxiously wondered if the physical transition would reverse the work I had done to develop a better body image. But while I harbored these thoughts without speaking them, I wasn’t alone: Research shows body dissatisfaction during and after pregnancy is a top concern for many women, yet we’re largely on our own to find resources and support.
Reversing a lifelong ‘weight loss’ mindset during pregnancy isn’t always easy
A 2014 review of studies into body image and pregnancy found that, despite the immense pressure women feel to “bounce back” after pregnancy, there is little…
