Body Stories of Postpartum Women: Examining Social Influences on First-Time Mothers' Body Image

Abstract

Pregnancy and childbirth remain a mystery to many. This research sheds light on these life-altering experiences and provides insights into how women view the changes their bodies undergo due to pregnancy and childbirth, a topic that has yet to be adequately studied from a sociological perspective. Through the use of in-depth, qualitative interviews, I delve into the birth narratives of twelve women who are adjusting to their postpartum bodies. The goal of this research is to better understand how the sense of body image that manifests itself during the early postpartum months develops. I focus on answering the question: what is body image like among postpartum women and what influences it? I also delve into questions of how beauty standards and support systems shape one’s postpartum body satisfaction and/or body regret. My findings suggest that support systems, body function, and preparation are paramount to the level of satisfaction women feel in their postpartum bodies that can be understood using the lenses of Doing Gender, Symbolic Interactionism, and Role Theory.