From Alia Bhatt and Bipasha to Debina: Celebs take a stand on body positivity during pregnancy

“Love each other always. Love the body you live in,” Bipasha Basu captioned a photo of herself flaunting her baby bump in full bloom just days before giving birth to her baby girl. Alia Bhatt made her best fashion move during her pregnancy and even launched a clothing line to flatter the growing circle of moms-to-be. Debina Bonerjee didn’t hide her baby bump either and instead embraced body positivity during pregnancy with open arms.

Over time, celebrities all over the world highlight their pregnancy photos. It is to normalize the changing shape of a woman through motherhood.

Dazzling in gold while rocking her baby bump, Bipasha used the hashtags “#mamatobe #mypregnancyjourney #loveyourself #staybodypositive #healthiswealth #embraceyourself” to introduce body positivity to her 11.8 million Instagram followers.

Debina Bonnerjeewho gave birth to her second child, wrote on Instagram: “Know the incredible potential of the magic you are capable of creating and embrace it.”

In the past, Bollywood actresses like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma, Sameera Reddy, Neha Dhupia and Sonam Kapoor have also flaunted their baby bumps and put body positivity during pregnancy in the spotlight.

Love your body image during pregnancy

An August 2022 Archives of Women’s Mental Health study looked at physical changes associated with pregnancy. She notes that this can increase the risk of body dissatisfaction, which is further associated with negative mental health conditions such as depression and eating disorders.

Of the 161 participants, more than 50 percent were dissatisfied with their body image. Among these, 52 percent were among pregnant women, and 56.2 percent were in the postpartum period.

The American Pregnancy Association recognizes that loving your pre-pregnancy body image can help you navigate the emotional and physical changes during the mom-to-be journey.

Have a positive body image it’s not just about your physical appearance. It’s simply about how you feel about yourself and that’s important in pregnancy because there will be physical changes that you can’t control. Expectant mothers may worry about how they will look after pregnancy and whether they will be able to meet their weight loss goals.

Health Shots reached out to Dr. Kamna Chhibber, clinical psychologist at Fortis Healthcare, to learn more about what pregnant women can do to focus on body positivity during pregnancy.

“As an expectant woman, it’s difficult to manage thoughts about body shape,” admits the expert.

According to her, anxious thoughts can arise where it is difficult to “accept physical changes or feel relaxed about how we would find ourselves in the future”.

You can also choose to feel empowered if you want! Take inspiration from Sonam Kapoor Ahu, who felt “pregnant and strong and bold and beautiful” while expecting her first child. Check out her post here!

How to stay positive during pregnancy

1. Remember the bigger goal

In such a situation, dr. Chhibber advises that it is important to remind yourself of the greater purpose and goodness of what will fill your life. Relying on your desire to have a baby can be helpful, and a reminder of the wonderful experiences that will unfold is usually helpful.

2. Talk to your doctor about your concerns

Sharing your thoughts with your doctor would ensure that any myths and misconceptions you may be harboring are dispelled. “At the same time, doctors could help give you guidance on how you can manage your health and take care of your well-being,” Chhibber said.

3. Focus on what you can control

Remind yourself that you will deal with the challenges you foresee in the future. This would be useful, suggests dr. Chhibber.

It’s important to shift your focus to what you have control over. So focus on adopting healthy practices for yourself during this time.

Read also: Redefine body beauty: Sameera Reddy puts body image issues to shame with this self-love post

4. Stay fit

Staying fit is an important thing to follow before pregnancy, during pregnancy and after delivery. Being active will not only help you maintain physical health, but also keep your mind from going in unwanted directions.

5. Eat right

Don’t use pregnancy as a reason to eat whatever you want and indulge your cravings all the time. A healthy diet during pregnancy is a prerequisite for a healthy and comfortable postpartum period. Not only will it keep unwanted weight off, it’ll also help you feel less guilty about giving in to the urge unhindered.

Also, if you ever become conscious of your stretch marks or excess fat, think of a little one who is sure to bring a lot of joy into your world!