How to Feel Better About Your Body
Postpartum Body Image Issues
Seeing the National Eating Disorders Association’s Body Acceptance Week’s posts spurred me to thinking about body acceptance and how this can be particularly hard for postpartum women. During pregnancy our bodies change significantly. We house another life that can weigh as much as eight or more pounds, a placenta that weights 2-3 lbs., amniotic fluid weighing 2-3 lbs., additional breast tissue, 4 lbs. of extra blood supply, 2-5 lbs. of additional uterine tissue, and perhaps up to 10 lbs of addition stored fat for energy for delivery and breastfeeding.
In addition to the physical changes, we have massive hormone shifts. After delivery these hormone changes continue as we deal with re-regulation of our systems and things like acne, swollen breasts, stretch marks, extended bellies, and incision scars.
Having a healthy body image during and after pregnancy reduces risk of creation of poor eating habits and behaviors like smoking as well as increases emotional attachment with your baby, likelihood for easier breastfeeding, and overall well-being of a mother. Prolonged negative self image can lead to depression and may be postpartum depression.
Body image is defined by Oxford Dictionary as “the subjective picture or mental image of one’s own body”. It is our own perception of our physical body, how we may see ourselves in the mirror or picture ourselves in our mind. Body image may be influenced by self-esteem, formative memories, as well as media and society.
How do we maintain or move toward a healthy body image when who we see in the mirror may look like a stranger to us?
Six Things to Do to Improve Body Image and Body Acceptance
The first thing to do is become aware of thoughts and feelings as well influences, both internal and external, on body image. Next, practice self and body acceptance to move towards a more positive body image. The following are five tactics for improving your body image.
- Ask yourself why you want that body back – Is your pre-pregnancy body standing in for your pre-pregnancy identity? The woman who didn’t need to breastfeed every four hours, the woman who could sleep through the night, the woman who could have a glass of wine without thinking about it? It’s okay to mourn that woman. She had a good life. Make a list of the things you miss from your pre-baby life. Next, think about why you chose to start a family and all the things you have now that you didn’t before.
- Move forward – You may be focused on pre-pregnancy shape or body size back. But even without pregnancies our bodies age and change. Instead of thinking of regaining what is lost create a new style, accentuate your now body. Looking good no matter your size, with stylish and flattering clothes, can help you feel good in your current form. This doesn’t mean you won’t work on regaining tone or strength, and maybe you won’t because maybe there are more important things to focus on now, but be good to yourself and present your body in its best light now.
- Repaint your mental picture of yourself – If your picture of yourself is still trim and fit and having that slim girl in mind haunts you every day, then change that picture. Look at your body in the mirror, bumps and curves and all, and see what a miraculous vessel it is, a body that housed your baby for nine months. Accept your stretch marks, even think of them as battle scars, evidence of your physical labor of love. For some this may be harder than others. And it may be beneficial to avoid media and other triggers that hinder your confidence.
- Think about food and exercise as nurturing and strengthening your body – Having a healthy relationship with food and exercise promotes body image and self-acceptance. Tune into your body, pay attention to when you are hungry or full and let that be your guide. Eat and exercise based on physical cues rather than stress, boredom, or rules like “no sweets” or “I have to exercise an hour a day”. Shift your focus from deprivation to nurturing your physical body.
- See weight as a number – A weight is just that, a number. It’s not how good or worthy we are. It is not our worth, it can’t dictate how we feel about ourselves unless we let it. Sometimes our minds can create fantasies, and our culture and media also feed into these, that we are happier when we are thinner. But is that always the case? Think of a time when you were thin but still not happy. The reality is that we can be any shape and be happy.
- Fake it till you make it – Practice mindfulness and affirmations, letting thoughts enter your mind and re-routing them to positive statements. Practice positive self-affirmation throughout your day whenever negative thoughts enter. Sitting with feelings of low self-esteem and poor body acceptance can be frustrating. Learning to accept these feelings as just that, feelings, and refocus them on the positive, can help you move forward both physically and mentally. Strive to avoid negative self-talk.
If negative self-thoughts and poor body image persist, it may be wise to talk with a mental health professional. These feelings can lead to postpartum depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and leaves a risk for these body insecurities and unhealthy messages around weight, food, and exercise to be passed along to your children.
Especially if these thoughts are preventing you from caring for yourself and your baby, seek professional help from a therapist and/or dietician with experience working with postpartum health and body image issues.
For an extensive discussion on issues around postpartum body image use the following links: Lucie’s List Body Image
In health, Danielle Older, MSW, LISW-S, CCTP
Danielle is one of our maternal mental health therapists and the founder of River Root Counseling. Her therapeutic style is individual, evidence-based, and unique to best serve each individual client. Danielle will work with you, at your pace, cheering you on and empowering you as you accomplish your therapeutic goals. Danielle values the therapeutic relationship and works to make each session beneficial and helpful for her clients. Danielle is a mother herself and understands the roller coaster that parenting, and motherhood, can sometimes feel like.
Call River Root at 330-595-4563
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervision Designation (Ohio) – I.2002068-SUPV
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
Bachelor’s of Social Work – University of Akron
Master’s in Social Work – Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Schedule a consultation here.