What You Need To Know About Pregnancy and Eating Disorders with Dr. Linda Shanti

Dr. Linda Shanti Recovery Warriors

The desire to become a mom can be a motivating factor in eating disorder recovery. However, little people know how much pregnancy and the postpartum period mirror the early stages of recovery. Both pregnant and new mothers and women recovering from eating disorders experience anxiety, body image distress, difficulty sleeping, hormonal changes, appetite changes, and ambivalence/excitement/distress around cultivating a new identity. In this episode of The Recovery Warrior Show, expert Dr. Linda Shanti shares personal and professional stories of recovering from an eating disorder and entering into motherhood. Listen in regardless of where you are at in the biological cycle because there is lots to learn.

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What You’ll Learn from My Interview with Dr. Linda Shanti

  • Why people don’t talk about miscarriages
  • How pregnancy is similar to early stages of recovery
  • Why you need to be proactive in seeking professional help before having a baby?
  • Why how a mother eats affects her child
  • Is there a right time to have a kid

 Favorite Quote

The central question of a warrior’s training is not how we avoid uncertainty and fear but how we relate to discomfort. -Pema Chodron

There’s a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it doesn’t change. People wonder about what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the thread. But it is hard for others to see. While you hold it you can’t get lost. Tragedies happen; people get hurt or die; and you suffer and get old. Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding. You don’t ever let go of the thread. -William Stafford

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. -Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Favorite Recovery Resource

Advice to Former Self

You’ll get through this honey, you will. It’s going to change you and it is changing you and that’s ok; that’s the way it’s supposed to be. There’s no parallel life that you’re supposed to be leading; this is it, this is not a detour. Just because you’re suffering doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path; you’re absolutely on the right path. Keep going.

Definition of Recovery according to Dr. Linda Shanti

Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. Not engaging in behaviors that hurt me. Moving toward growth edges. Accepting my body as it is. Allowing and inviting all feelings. Lowering the bar on perfectionism. Thinking in the rainbow between black and white. Listening to my heart and connecting with a larger purpose.

definition of recovery

For Your Journey

Connect with Dr. Linda Shanti

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2 Comments

  1. says: Maura

    Hi Jessica,

    I’m a huge fan of your podcast. I was hoping you’d do a podcast on pregnancy, as I did have a few questions- however, sadly, none of my questions were touched on in this podcast (which is fine!)

    I just discharged treatment and I am continuing on the path towards weight restoration and still have not gotten my period back. I’m finding it hard to find any information about attempting to get pregnant with the absence of a period. I’m only 23, not even married yet, but I do know I want to have kids in the future. I was worried/curious if my current situation and absence of my period (it’s been about 7 months now) would impact my future goal of becoming pregnant.

    If you know of anywhere I could find out information on this, please let me know…

    Thank you so much for all of your amazing work!

  2. says: Jessica Raymond

    Hi Maura,

    Thank you for the question. I will try to get it addressed on a future show. Be patient with your body, it can often take awhile to restore your period. The most important thing is to be nourishing your body and staying focused on weight restoration. Working with an OB Gyn and dietitian could be a great way of making sure you doing so. Stay positive and trust the process.

    Jessica

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