Pregnancy is often portrayed as a joyful journey filled with anticipation, yet the reality for many women involves complex emotions and significant physical changes.
As the body transforms – expanding bellies, changing breasts, and shifting sensations – women’s relationships with their bodies can dramatically alter.
These experiences not only impact mothers-to-be during pregnancy but continue to influence their well-being long after their babies arrive.
A new study by Lydia B. Munns, published in the British Journal of Health Psychology (2025), has shed light on the lasting impact of bodily experiences during pregnancy on mothers’ postnatal mental health and their connection with their infants.
The researchers found that women’s feelings about their bodies during pregnancy – specifically dissatisfaction with body weight and trust in bodily sensations – had significant implications for postnatal outcomes.
Negative perceptions during pregnancy predicted increased anxiety and depression after childbirth, while higher levels of trust in the body were associated with stronger bonds between mothers and their babies.
Understanding these relationships is crucial because pregnancy involves both internal sensations, like heartbeats and fetal movements, and external changes, such as visible physical transformations.
While previous research highlighted the detrimental effects of body dissatisfaction on mental health and well-being, this study uniquely examines both internal bodily awareness (interoception) and external appearance concerns (exteroception), showing their combined importance.
Conducted by psychologists at the University of York and collaborating institutions, the study involved 253 pregnant women who completed detailed questionnaires about their bodily experiences during pregnancy, and again at three and six months after giving birth.
These surveys measured body dissatisfaction, interoceptive awareness, anxiety, depression, bonding with infants, and breastfeeding practices.
The researchers employed a sophisticated analytical approach known as network analysis, which allowed them to explore how these variables interact over time.
At three months postpartum, they found that mothers who had experienced high levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies during pregnancy were more likely to report increased anxiety and depression.
Interestingly, these mothers also breastfed at higher rates, suggesting complex emotional and practical dynamics at play.
At six months postpartum, the study found subtle shifts.
While early postnatal dissatisfaction with body appearance was very influential, internal bodily trust -how confidently women could interpret and respond to their body’s signals – became increasingly significant.
Greater bodily trust was linked to lower anxiety and depression and stronger mother-infant bonds.
Why does this matter to the general public?
Pregnancy and postpartum are periods of heightened emotional vulnerability, with many women experiencing anxiety or depression.
Addressing negative bodily experiences and promoting bodily trust during pregnancy could help reduce mental health struggles and strengthen mother-child bonds after birth.
This research underscores the importance of providing expectant mothers with supportive environments that help manage body dissatisfaction and encourage positive perceptions of bodily changes.
Yet, there are limitations.
The participants were predominantly white and well-educated, meaning these findings might not fully represent the experiences of women from diverse ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds.
Further research is essential to understand how these experiences vary among broader populations.
Ultimately, the study reveals how deeply interconnected physical experiences during pregnancy are with psychological well-being and parenting outcomes postpartum.
It offers a clear message to healthcare providers and communities: supporting women in having positive bodily experiences during pregnancy is not merely beneficial – it could be transformative for their mental health and the quality of their early relationships with their infants.
