Jointly Navigating the Reclamation of the ‘‘Woman I Used to Be’’: Negotiating Concerns About the Postpartum Body Within the Marital Dyad

Abstract

This interpretive study explored the marital dyad as a context for the negotiation of concerns relative to the postpartum body, and in particular, the reconfiguration of this body so as to more closely approximate the pre-pregnant body/self. The research was guided by symbolic interactionism and the work of Erving Goffman. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 14 married couples expecting their first child. Analyses revealed that wives and husbands negotiated meanings relative to recapturing, redefining, and reclaiming wives’ bodies after childbirth in a way that suggested a repertoire of possible selves, including the Woman I/My Wife Used to Be (before pregnancy), the Woman I Fear I/My Wife Could Become (i.e., a woman who cannot get her old shape back), and the Women I/My Wife Hope(s) to Become (i.e., a woman who can get her old shape back) (cf. Guy & Banim, 2000). Within this general system of meanings, three overarching themes emerged: (a) aspirations for the postpartum body, (b) the navigation of concerns relative to the appearance of the postpartum body, and (c) reclamation projects planned and/or undertaken by wives. In varied ways, interactions within the marital dyad shaped the wives’ efforts to navigate their concerns about the postpartum body and to plan or undertake bodily reclamation projects. Generally speaking, husband-wife interactions were described by wives as a source of reassurance in the journey back to The Women They Used to Be. Findings provide support for interactionist proposition that the people come to understand the body through others’ eyes.

Women’s experiences of their pregnancy and postpartum body image: a systematic review and meta-synthesis

“…Two of the papers resulted from one recruited sample [33, 38], with the remaining 15 papers resulting from 15 separate samples. Although two papers included data from heterosexual married couples [23, 37], themes pertaining to the women only were reported because interviews were conducted with husband and wife separately. All other interviews were conducted with women only.…”

“…I have always been quite small, so I prefer having some shape and curves” [34] Control: Nature vs. Self Boundaries between the self, the body, and the baby“It’s a bit like the invasion of the body snatchers” [38]“I’m becoming aware that within, it’s developing its own personality. Its becoming, I suppose, less and less dependent on me or less and less a part of me and more an individual” [31]“constant companion” [31]Body as in and out of control“I guess that was one of the hardest things…just the whole sense of losing control over your body and nothing you can really do is going to stop this process from happening…” [24]Reclaiming the postpartum body“I would have liked to have known that I wasn’t going to lose weight again quickly after having her… I just didn’t know these things…” [25]“It was like I had double the work…I was back to square one, but worse” [23]“You’re always trying to get it back, but never really can have it back” [23]“Some women just can’t get their old shape back at all, and I’m bound and determined not to be one of them” [37] Role: Woman vs. Mother Facets of identity in pregnancy“not changed; just probably deepened.…”

“…The studies described women’s pregnant body image as protected from this transgression, because the women legitimised it through perceiving themselves as excused from adhering to the ideals or by reflecting on the functional and mothering identities of their body [34]. Those who had been overweight before their pregnancy were protected by these strategies, with women viewing their pregnancy as excusing them from unpleasant comments or feeling uncomfortable in activities exposing their body, for example, swimming [37]. Pregnancy-related weight was described as weight attributable to their developing fetus, whereas ‘fatness’ was viewed as all other weight gained (e.g., arms or faces [29]).…”

“…The theme of women’s bodies being perceived as out of control during pregnancy dominated. Four studies reported women as focusing on their weight gain and becoming anxious if they perceived they were not meeting others’ weight gain expectations, either because they felt they were gaining too much or too little [22, 26, 36, 37]. Comments from health professionals were reported to reinforce the belief that women should be in control of their bodies and their weight during pregnancy [22], particularly if women presented with problems including high blood pressure, perineal tearing [24] or excessive gestational weight gain [22].…”

“…The expectations held by many women for their postpartum body were high, and were often recognised as unrealistic. However, only two studies reported that women believed the mothering role caused them to reprioritise their body image below their baby [37, 38]. …”