Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology Vol. 27, No. 4, November 2009, 330–345 ISSN 0264-6838 print/ISSN 1469-672X online © 2009 Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology DOI: 10.1080/02646830903190904 http://www.informaworld.com My baby body: A qualitative insight into women’s body-related experiences and mood during pregnancy and the postpartum Abigail Clark a , Helen Skouteris* b , Eleanor H Wertheim a , Susan J Paxton a and Jeannette Milgrom c a La Trobe University, Psychological Science, Melbourne, Australia; b Deakin University, Psychology, Australia; c The University of Melbourne, Psychology, Melbourne, Australia Taylor and Francis CJRI_A_419263.sgm (Received 10 March 2008; final version received 23 September 2008) 10.1080/02646830903190904 Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 0264-6838 (print)/1469-672X (online) Original Article 2009 Taylor & Francis 00 0000002009 HelenSkouteris helens@deakin.edu.au An inductive qualitative approach was employed to explore women’s experiences of their body and mood during pregnancy and the postpartum. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 perinatal women (n at late pregnancy=10; n in the early postpartum period=10). While most of the sample reported adapting positively to body changes experienced during pregnancy, the postpartum period was often associated with body dissatisfaction. Women reported several events unique to pregnancy which helped them cope positively with bodily changes (e.g. increased perceived body functionality, new sense of meaning in life thus placing well-being of developing foetus above body aesthetics, perceptual experiences such as feeling baby kick, increased sense of social connectedness due to pregnancy body shape, and positive social commentary); however, these events no longer protected against body dissatisfaction post-birth. While women reported mood lability throughout the perinatal period, the postpartum was also a time of increased positive affect for most women, and overall most women did not associate body changes with their mood. Clinical implications of these findings included the need for education about normal postpartum body changes and their timing, and the development of more accurate measures of perinatal body image. Keywords: pregnancy; postpartum; mood body dissatisfaction; body image Pregnancy is a time when a woman’s body can change dramatically, often deviating from society’s thin ideal, with residual bodily changes continuing into the postpartum period. Recent research suggests that during pregnancy most women adapt positively to these changes and that pregnancy offers some protection against body concerns (e.g. Clark & Ogden, 1999; Clark, Skouteris, Wertheim, Paxton, & Milgrom, 2009; Rocco et al., 2005; Skouteris, Carr, Wertheim, Paxton, & Duncombe, 2005). While several researchers have reported that positive body attitudes remain post birth (e.g. Strang & Sullivan, 1985; Suttie, 1998), the findings of other studies reveal that the postpartum period is a time of increased body dissatisfaction (Clark et al., 2009; Rallis, Skouteris, Wertheim, & Paxton, 2007; Stein & Fairburn, 1996). In each of these previous quantitative studies, researchers assessed body dissatisfaction using measures designed for non-pregnant women which focus on external aesthetics and aspects of body attitudes (e.g. the Body Attitudes Questionnaire: *Corresponding author. Email: helens@deakin.edu.au