Eating disorders during pregnancy

There are different forms of eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, which usually start during adolescence. You may not have been diagnosed with an eating disorder or seen the right person to help you identify your thoughts - but you may feel that you have (or have had) unhealthy thoughts about diet, exercise and how it affects your body.

This can include judgmental thoughts about your weight, counting every calorie you consume, feeling anxious around meals, or comfort eating to relieve a negative feeling that ultimately contributes to more anxiety. Unhealthy thoughts about your body and food arise when you put in values that contribute to anxiety/anxiety/nausea etc. that affect your everyday life and well-being. It is important to understand that healthcare does not judge, but wants to give you and your fetus the right conditions to feel good.

There is research showing that eating disorders can also emerge during pregnancy. Many pregnant women who have had eating disorder problems in the past find that they can relate better to thoughts about food during pregnancy, but there is a certain risk of relapse due to physical changes. Many people gain a new positive perspective on their bodies during pregnancy and are amazed at what their bodies can do.

Perhaps your thoughts and values about your body are shifted from yourself to the fact that it actually makes another little person and needs energy. Others find it hard not to be able to influence the way their body grows and changes. If you vomit a lot during pregnancy, it might make you remember back to a time of vomiting when you didn't feel so good. If you don't have a healthy relationship with your body, it can also be hard to imagine a baby wanting to nurse on your breasts and demanding physical closeness.

Pregnant women with an eating disorder, or a history of eating disorders, have been shown in various research articles to be at increased risk of anemia, premature birth, hyperemesis (extreme nausea), lower birth weight, increased risk of postpartum depression, and attachment problems. It is therefore important to tell your midwife if you have a history of eating disorders or an unhealthy pattern of thinking about food and your body image.

During your pregnancy, you may be offered extra support and check-ups to ensure that both you and your fetus are doing as well as possible. Once you have given birth, the maternity ward will take over and you can also get help and support there, in order to feel as well as possible and promote the bonding with your baby. Don't be afraid to ask for help to make sure you feel as good as possible during your pregnancy and the early days of motherhood.

Tell your midwife and/or maternity nurse if you
- Has or has had eating disorder problems
- Have anxiety and/or unhealthy thoughts about food and body changes (including excessive exercise)

You can get help with:
- Supportive conversations with your own midwife/BVC nurse
- Contact with psychologist for counseling/therapy/treatment
- Dietician
- Physiotherapist
- There are also specialized clinics for eating disorders that have combined health professionals for eating disorder problems, both in the private and public sector. You can apply to the clinics yourself by sending a self-referral or via a referral from your midwife (or other healthcare provider)

Examples of clinics are the Stockholm Center for Eating Disorders, Capio Eating Disorders Center and Mandokliniken.

If you need urgent support, there are non-profit organizations that have support lines/chats:
https://www.friskfri.se
https://mind.se