Pregorexia: when the woman is afraid of gaining weight during pregnancy

The changes in the future mother’s body during pregnancy are important for the woman herself. For men, for grandmothers, for the “common talk” the growth of the baby bump is always something taken for granted, physiological, even poetic, because the baby bump becomes the symbol of motherhood in an emotional, sociological and anthropological sense and can never make one think to something negative.

But for a woman who experiences pregnancy firsthand, sometimes it may not be as sweet and poetic as one thinks.

Pregnancy, for women, is always a delicate moment of profound change, physical and beyond. The hormonal balance changes , the way of thinking changes, she prepares for two new lives, the one that grows inside her and hers, which will never be the same as before her.

It is something extremely big, which is not always possible to deal with in complete serenity.

Sometimes the outlet for this discomfort is precisely the physical aspect: that belly that for others is poetic and tender for the mother becomes something unacceptable. The needle on the scale rises, sometimes it is difficult to control it, one cannot dedicate oneself to sport with the same intensity as before.

This consciously, but often also unconsciously, pushes women to implement “do-it-yourself” strategies to limit these changes: drastic diets or excessive physical activity . These are symptoms of an eating disorder called Pregorexia or Pregorexia.

What are the signs of pregarexia?

The signs to understand that you are facing a similar problem are:

• The woman wants to eat alone and does not want anyone to comment on her way of eating, even if she eats little;
• The woman is extremely focused on her physique, even more than she is focused on the child and its development;
• The woman has an obsession with physical activity even during pregnancy. It’s good to be active even in this period, but 30-45 minutes 4 times a week are more than enough.

What are the risks that a woman with pre-orexia runs?

Going into malnutrition , with vitamin deficiencies that can not only debilitate the body of the mother who has to face childbirth and really needs energy and strength, but can also compromise the growth of the child if she does not receive adequate nourishment.

It is important that the partner, the parents, the people who live around the future mother are close to her and notice if there is something wrong,

How do you help a woman with pregarexia?

First of all, let’s specify what MUST NOT BE DONE: reproaches, warnings, threats are not good. Mommy won’t budge one iota.

Instead, teamwork is essential , with an obstetrician / gynecologist, a nutritionist expert in the field and a psychologist who can work together and help the woman face this delicate period and welcome the life that is growing inside her.