How Pregnancy Brought Back My Body Image B*tch — And What I Learned in Each Trimester
Pregnancy has a way of reshuffling everything you think you’ve settled — your routines, your energy, your sense of control, and, as I learned very quickly, your relationship with your body.
What started as a quick update to friends and clients turned into a three-part Substack series about the unexpected (and sometimes unwelcome) ways body image resurfaced throughout my pregnancy. If you want the full, unfiltered versions, you can read them all on Substack — but here’s a taste of what each part covers.
Part 1: The Shock of the First Trimester — “The B*tch is Back”
You know that little voice many of us spend years working to quiet — the one that critiques, compares, and convinces you your body is the problem?
Well, she came back. Loudly.
In the first trimester, between nausea, exhaustion, and that strange “blurry body” phase where you don’t quite look pregnant yet, the old body image critic I thought I’d fired barged right back in. The weight gain felt sudden, the scale at prenatal appointments became a landmine, and the familiar self-judgment I’d worked years to soften returned with a vengeance.
I wrote Part 1 because no one talks about how disorienting this phase can feel, even for people who have done a lot of healing. That b*tch’s voice shows up — but she’s lying, and you’re not alone.
Part 2: The Second Trimester Shift — “Pregnant Privilege Pass”
Then suddenly… things changed.
My belly became unmistakably pregnant. Strangers smiled more. People held doors. The world became just a little softer and more accommodating. It was a strange awakening: society celebrates one specific type of body expansion — pregnancy — while continuing to stigmatize others.
I also got a humbling glimpse into what it feels like when clothing options are limited. Some stores sent me to the plus-size section when the maternity section didn’t exist, and I struggled to find clothes that fit for the first time in my life. It made my thin-mid-size privilege glaringly obvious.
Part 2 explores this uncomfortable contrast: how body image becomes easier when your body change is socially sanctioned — and how unfair that is to people in larger bodies whose experiences deserve the same compassion and care.
Part 3: Third Trimester Reality — “Scaling the Heights (of 200lbs)”
By the time the third trimester rolled around, I hit a number on the scale I never imagined seeing. And yes — my heart still sank a little when I saw it.
But here’s the difference:
The voice in my head didn’t sound the same anymore. She’d lost her sharpness. Instead of shame, it became data. A neutral check-in. A sign my body was doing exactly what it needed to do.
Part 3 dives into this newfound neutrality, my decision not to do blind weights, and the reality of navigating medical weight stigma even in an uncomplicated pregnancy. I talk about the early glucose testing, the assumptions based on BMI, and the ways I learned to advocate for myself while staying grounded.
It’s also the part where I share what helped: seeing diverse pregnant bodies online, learning about B-shaped bellies, and finding reassurance in representation I didn’t know I needed.
Want the Whole Story? Read the Full 3-Part Series on Substack
Each trimester brought a totally different emotional experience around body image — the shock, the shift, and the strange new acceptance. If you’ve been pregnant, are currently pregnant, or just care about body image through major life transitions, this series is for you.
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