Body image and pregnancy : a matter of restraint?

Abstract

Body image is a significant aspect of the pregnancy experience, and impacts the physical and psychological health of both the mother and baby. Dietary restraint is proposed as a construct by which to understand the change and continuity of women’s body image throughout pregnancy and postpartum, contributing to the experience of weight gain and body changes. Published literature is reviewed and analyzed to demonstrate connections between salient physical and psychological aspects of dietary restraint, body image prior to and during pregnancy, and disordered eating. Conclusion suggests the utility of dietary restraint for understanding the body image trajectory of individual women during this life transition.