A new article in the Canadian press is crediting celebrity moms with causing a sad and unhealthy phenomenon among "regular" pregnant women known as "pregorexia."
The article basically says that when women who are expecting see photos of celebrities who haven't put on much weight during their pregnancies and still look all perfect and beautiful, it makes them feel bad about their own changing bodies. As a result, some women wind up developing eating disorders not only during their pregnancies, but right after giving birth as well.
And even though the idea that some women are so negatively affected by images of super-fit new celebrity moms that they wind up having eating disorders seems kind of far-fetched, I can absolutely see how something like that could happen.
I was pregnant with my son right around the time that celebrities like Katie Holmes and Britney Spears were pregnant with their babies too. And even though both of them looked pretty comparable to how most pregnant women do in their final trimester, I still couldn't help but compare the size of my rear end with theirs, especially in the months right after I had my son. I had a tough time shedding all of my baby weight -- took me a good nine months. And I can still remember seeing both of them step out looking slim and trim a couple months postpartum, and it made me feel pretty bad about my own appearance.
Lately there seem to be more and more celebrities popping up who don't gain much weight at all during their pregnancies, and I can't even imagine how seeing their images must make women who can't see their feet and don't even recognize themselves in the mirror feel about the way they look. The Canadian article mentions women like Tori Spelling (who has pranced around with a bikini baby bump more than once), and Victoria Beckham (who didn't even look pregnant right before she gave birth to baby Harper).
For a pregnant woman who is really having a hard time coming to terms with trying to stay in shape and get her pre-baby body back quickly, I can absolutely see where an eating disorder could possibly come into play. And that's why women who are expecting need to be reminded that what they see in the media isn't reality, and everyone gains different amounts of weight during pregnancy. And on top of that, they need to be reminded just how beautiful they look exactly the way they are, regardless of how fast they are able to pack up their maternity clothes and bust out their pre-baby wardrobe.
Have you noticed your self esteem dropping when you see photos of pregnant celebrities?
Image via Pacific Coast News
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Kanye West is Gay?! 
Comments 49
Make no mistake, the media culture IS to blame for the pressure and desire women feel to be skinny, forever young and sexy. For those of us who still think media is not to blame and that our psychology alone is... we must understand our psychology comes from the very world we live in and is shaped by our environment and all the stimuli we take in from birth onward. So, when we grow up seeing a constant barrage of images of thin, beautiful women, we ARE undoubtedly affected by these images. I consider myself a healthy woman. I was brought up with confidence and self esteem. Still, I know for a fact that a deep impression has been made upon my psyche and the way I view my body. I have felt the desire to want to change parts of my body and make it thinner than is natural. This is a direct result of cultural enforcement of these unnatural and unhealthy stereotypical images. Where else could it possibly come from when so many of us women feel this way?!
It's totally unrealistic for most normal women to look like celebrities, pregnant or not. I don't have a personal chef and trainer. I don't get plastic surgery or spend $300 on my hair. However, I make sure to eat healthy and exercise not only so I can look halfway decent, but also so that I feel good. Beauty should be about making healthy decisions and feeling good about yourself, not trying to look like Posh Spice.
When I was pregnant, I gained about 35 lbs and felt like a radiant, glowing hippo. At the same time, a girl I knew only gained 10 and she was tiny to begin with. Turned out her boyfriend threatened to leave her if she got "fat." The girl was back in her size 2 jeans as soon as she popped out her 4.5 lb full term baby. She looked good, but lord I wouldn't want to be her (or her malnourished baby) for anything.
continued...There are many surveys I have read that show girls/women feel worse about their bodies after looking at magazines like Cosmo, Harpers Bazza, Who, etc. Prior to the advent of the modern media culture, women in mass didn't hate themselves or their bodies, lack confidence, have eating disorders, suicides, depression, etc. These problems have now reached out of control, epidemic proportions. Please read and see more at www.missrepresentation.org for the great work this organization is doing to change the face of media to bring forth healthy images and idols for women to be inspired and empowered by.
IDK what the hell they're saying.. most celebs did gain weight during their pregnancy! If they look better than most it's because they were in better shape to start with and they are active and eat healthy during their pregnancies. I think it's pathetic that some people are seriously so vain that they'd endanger their unborn child to fit the status quo of pregnancy in Hollywood! Katie Holmes and Britney Spears were HUGE during their pregnancies (which is not a bad thing because they were healthy). People need lives! I was very active and healthy during my pregnancies and gained the recommended amount of weight (started off in shape and thin). People need to learn to take responsibility for their own actions and quit blaming it on everything else! YES, Mcdonalds will make you fat, YES, Nutella is fattening, NO, it is not the celebrity's fault that you got fat!
Oh and gaining 100lbs is disgustingly unhealthy and that's coming from someone who was underweight prior to pregnancy and required to gain extra for mine and baby's health.
@ parentalrights1: I definetly agree with you 100%! People are overgrown bullies, for sure, and micromanagers. Yes, alot of women do get stretch marks and gain weight, that is apart of being pregnant,a nd yes, alot of husbands that expect their wives or gf's to NOT show any signs of having babies (I like to call them warscars haha) are very very Naive!
Ugh. I hate when people try to police women's every move because they happen to be pregnant BUT personally have a hard time containing my disgust for these women. No point in even discussing it though, they (those who purposely starve themselves) just feed off of ANY attention to their low weight.
Jessica Simpson looked like a pregnancy goddess!