Felicity Harley and Melissa Barberi, captain of the Matildas.
by FELICITY HARLEY
Hello, my name is Felicity. I’m 26 weeks pregnant with my first baby and I’m happy with my body… now.
You see, two weeks ago I went for a routine check-up with my midwife who informed me – or I should say freaked me out – that I had gained a lot of weight in a short amount of time and I needed to take stock of my diet.
“You can’t gain this amount next time you see me,” she muttered. As I sat there zoning out of her lecture on low GI vs. high GI foods, I went into a mental spin. How can a seemingly healthy woman – who preaches good nutrition to the women of Australia – be told she’s risking getting fat in pregnancy?
Sure, I’ve relaxed a little on the eating front (chocolate bullets: yum!) and my fitness levels have dropped faster than Peter Slipper’s popularity but overall my kilojoule intake has been on par. I think. Ok, maybe I have been eating more.
The following Saturday’s pre-natal yoga class was the perfect place to compare my shape. I sized-up the women around me (come on, you know you’ve done it) and concluded that I was kinda normal for this point in my pregnancy. Many thanks fellow yogis for the reassurance.
As I drove home it got me thinking about how pregnancy has challenged my usual positive body image and perhaps we don’t talk enough about this prenatal side effect. Some women relish their baby body and I admire them for that, but for others a supersized version of themselves can mess with their heads – you welcome this amazing creature growing inside you but you’re growing lumps and bumps (stomach not included) in places you never knew existed.
In fact, I know I’m not alone. In 2009, white coats at the University of Minnesota, US, studied changes in 506 women’s weight and body satisfaction from before pregnancy to one month after delivery, and found that yep, pregnancy weight can lead to negative body image or “body dissatisfaction”. Post-delivery mums were, on average, 2.5kgs heavier than before getting knocked up, and were less satisfied with their weight and shape.
Felicity Harley
Weight gain during pregnancy is confronting; stepping on the scales in the obstetrician’s office each week/ month can be terrifying (I’ve heard of women who stand backwards. True story). Knowing whether you should eat more or less or the same or a little bit more or eat for two … can be damn confusing.
So what have I learnt from this experience? Well, firstly to chill the hell out and remind myself it’s not just about “me” anymore. Yes, I’ve reassessed my food intake, pulled apart my meals and realised I can cut back on portion sizes and pack in more fruit.
Secondly, I need to respect the awesome way in which my body deals with pregnancy and highlight the positive bits each time I stand nude in front of the mirror – helllllooo boobs! My light bulb moment in all of this: you might not be able to control your weight in the way you used to with tomato-faced gym sessions but you can control every other aspect of your health and your baby’s, and no midwife will tell you off for that.
This is Felicity’s third ‘baby’ – she is the editor of Women’s Health and pregnancy magazine Bump (new issue out now!)
Did pregnancy challenge your idea of positive body image?
Comments
109 Comments so far
When I was pregnant my obstetrician constantly said dont’ put on too much weight. Keep your weight under control. When my baby was born I was told she was malnourished. You can’t win.
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I much prefer my body when I’m pregnant. I too am a freak of nature who loses weight during pregnancy (well, I gain, but only 6kg both times, and 4 kgs of that was baby. I’ve left hospital both times lighter than when I fell pregnant). I guess it was the extra energy expended by my body in growing and hauling around an entire extra person, and the fact that I didn’t increase my food consumption at all that lead to weight loss overall.
Before anyone hates me though, I’m very overweight, and have an apple shaped figure, which I hate and find really hard to dress. When I’m pregnant, all the clothes are designed for a big belly, and it’s acceptable, even desirable to have said belly.
Last pregnancy, despite being overweight, I was not weighed by a professional at all! My doctor asked me what my pre pregnancy weight was, and I weighed myself so that if a doctor or midwife asked I could tell them how much I’d put on, but they really didn’t seem concerned. This struck me as a little bit odd, given my unhealthy weight, but my blood pressure was good, blood tests all good, baby heart rate and movement and growth all good, so I guess that was their focus, rather than freaking people out about weight gan
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i didn’t think women were rountinely weighed any more. they aren’t at the hospital i work at. we promote healthy eating and healthy weight gain. It would be somewhat distressing though, constantly putting on weight after spending most of your adult life watching your weight and eating healthily.
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My OB never weighed me and she reccomended that I never weigh myself also. If you are not overweight prior to falling pregnant and you eat healthy then don’t worry. Stress is worse for your baby. In my seccond and third pregnancy I got “bigger” quicker then my first, and all three babies were 8pounds. Relax and enjoy.
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Just checking – so this is an old article about Felicity’s first baby? The first and third thing threw me.
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The magazines – Women’s Health and Bump – are referred to as Felicity’s first two babies. She is currently pregnant with her first child. Therefore, three ‘babies’. Hope this makes sense.
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Mamamia – I think it is her first baby! “this is Felicity’s third baby”
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I think it’s meant that the two magazines are her other two babies!
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Yeah, I asked Felicity about it on Twitter. She said: first baby, but third if you include Womens Health and Bump!
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At no point in either of my pregnancies was I ever weighed by a health professional
Thank god.
That said, I had a vague idea of my pre preggo weight and I definitely lost a lot of weight in pregnancy. Vomiting five times a day for nearly a year will do that to you.
Im the worlds biggest freak. When I’m pregnant everyone comments on how healthy I look when I’ve never felt worse, when they first pop out I take LOTS of photos cos I know I’ll never be that light again and then by the time they are 6 months old I”m up over my pre preggo weight by a fair bit and have to spend the next year getting rid of it!
That said
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I am 26 weeks pregnant also with my second bub and have not weighed myself this whole pregnancy. Most. liberating. thing. ever.
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I have never had a doctor or a midwife ask me to get on the scales!
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