Research Sheds Light on Pregnancy-Related Body Shaming

Baby weight shaming is just something celeb mamas, who are constantly in the spotlight, experience. According to research from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Angela Incollingo Rodriguez, the stigma of pregnancy and post-pregnancy related weight game is real for nearly two-thirds of women.

While weight gain is a perfectly normal and totally necessary part of pregnancy, plenty of expectant and new mommies feel pressure to stay thin—and as it turns out, society in general and the media are the two top culprits to blame.

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One of Incollingo Rodriguez’s recent studies looked at how pregnancy-related weight stigma affected 501 women (143 were in their second or third trimesters and 358 had given birth in the past 12 months). The study found that over 33 percent of the women felt weight stigma from “society in general.” Over 24 percent felt this stigma from the media, 21 percent felt it from strangers and another 21 percent felt in from immediate family. The two least picked culprits were healthcare providers (18.4 percent) and friends (14 percent).

Along with the sources of the stigma, Incollingo Rodriguez’s research also revealed that these experiences were linked to depression, stress and dieting behaviors.

Even though Incollingo Rodriguez’s research isn’t exactly a ray of sunshine in your pregnant day, she did note that changing the message women receive about their pregnancy and post-pregnancy bodies could, “spark a much-needed culture shift.” The researcher said, in a press release, “There are already celebrity mothers out there, like model Chrissy Teigen, for example, who are celebrating their healthy bodies, even if their figures are fuller post-baby. That gives a positive message. That’s the goal, ultimately—healthy mom, healthy baby, healthy relationships.”

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Freestocks via Pexels 

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