Body Awareness in Pregnancy
If you have armed yourself with all the knowledge you can gather regarding the possible changes
on your body during pregnancy, then you are one step closer to dealing with the physical effect
of those changes. Some women, though they do know their body will change during pregnancy
and possibly afterwards as well, do not seem to mind it at all. Great! According to a survey of
more than 1500 women, just over 41% said they felt more negative about their bodies after
pregnancy. Which goes to show: the majority of women are struggling with body image while
pregnant. Not to mention what the body image stress is probably not helping the baby…
Is this only related to pregnancy?
Of course not… women in general are held to unrealistic expectations of beauty standards—expectations that the media and society constantly repeat. In recent years, this pressure for body perfection has worsened with the rise of social media. What is worse in pregnancy, however, is that the changes are relatively rapid, weight gain is almost always expected, feelings are exacerbated, and you may even be feeling alien in your own body. A vessel, so to speak. All of these are true: you will most likely gain weight during your pregnancy, it’s possible to develop stretch marks, and it is also a possibility that your post-partum body will not be 100% the same as your pre-pregnancy body.
This is a lot…
Yes, this can absolutely be overwhelming. Despair not! Weight gain is—and we cannot stress this enough—normal, and healthy for your baby. Also, if your doctor or nurse gives you the green light, you can exercise while pregnant. It may be light exercise, such as swimming or walking, or pre-natal yoga. These options help make you more aware of the connection between your body and your mind, perhaps take some of the edge off and your mind off of your worries and are steps to ensure the overall health of your body.
If you are concerned about weight gain during pregnancy, make a plan with your doctor, nurse, or mid wife, about your diet. Allow yourself the small pleasures without guilt: your body is participating in the miracle of nourishing a new life. There is no way to make this happen in a healthy manner unless you experience changes yourself.
What else can I do?
Honestly, don’t bottle up your feelings. Being insecure about, or even disappointed with, your
body image is completely normal. Share those feelings and thoughts with your partner, talk about
those worries with your friends. You may want to join a mom group, or even an online
discussion forum where you can exchange ideas with others on the same boat. If it gets too
much, you can always talk to a medical professional or a therapist. Even if you didn’t have body
image issues before pregnancy, it is not uncommon that future mothers start facing those worries
for the first time when they become pregnant. You are not alone in this!