Body Image

Much has been written in the area of body image in pregnancy and postpartum. A person's body image is comprised of a multidimensional mélange of feelings and perceptions of their own body-filtered and reflected through sociocultural prescriptions of the ideal body size and shape. Body image fluctuates and is regulated by global self-esteem (the totality of thoughts and emotions regarding oneself). Societal prescriptions of size and beauty are intricately tied to global self-esteem. In fact, decades of research demonstrates a significant overlap between body image and self-image. In essence, body esteem arises out of a multidimensional experience, in which females compare their appearance against personal and social standards within their environment. Sanctioned by external forces and saturated with a barrage of the ultra-thin female body ...