Orthorexia in Pregnancy and Postpartum: When “Healthy” Becomes Rigid
Pregnancy and early parenthood come with a flood of advice about nutrition, supplements, and feeding choices. Much of this information is well intentioned. Some of it can quietly fuel anxiety and rigidity around food.
Orthorexia is a pattern of disordered eating characterized by an intense focus on eating “right” or “clean.” During pregnancy and postpartum, orthorexia can be especially difficult to recognize because it often looks like responsibility or care.
What Orthorexia Can Look Like in the Perinatal Period
Orthorexia during pregnancy or postpartum may involve strict food rules, fear of eating foods perceived as harmful, or significant distress when preferred foods are unavailable.
People may spend large amounts of time researching nutrition, planning meals, or worrying about making the wrong choice. Eating may feel morally charged rather than nourishing.
Because the focus is often on health rather than weight, orthorexia is frequently overlooked.
Why Pregnancy and Postpartum Increase Risk
Pregnancy introduces real nutritional considerations. Advice is often framed in absolute terms. Eat this. Avoid that. Do not make mistakes.
For individuals who cope through control or certainty, this environment can encourage rigid thinking. The desire to protect the baby can make it feel dangerous to relax food rules.
Postpartum, these patterns may persist or intensify, especially when feeding choices and recovery expectations are layered on top of exhaustion and self doubt.
When Healthy Eating Becomes a Source of Distress
Eating for health is not a problem in itself. It becomes concerning when flexibility disappears.
Warning signs include intense anxiety around food choices, avoidance of social eating, guilt or shame after eating outside of rigid rules, and difficulty meeting energy needs because so many foods feel unsafe.
Orthorexia can exist alongside adequate intake on paper while still causing significant psychological distress.
The Role of Shame and Self Surveillance
Many people with orthorexia receive praise for their discipline. This can make it harder to recognize when something is wrong.
During pregnancy and postpartum, fear of judgment can increase secrecy. People may worry they will be seen as irresponsible if they admit how anxious food feels.
This shame often delays support even when distress is high.
How Support Can Help
Support for orthorexia in the perinatal period focuses on restoring flexibility, reducing fear, and building trust in the body.
This often involves exploring the emotional meaning of food rules, addressing anxiety and perfectionism, and supporting nervous system regulation.
Care does not mean abandoning health. It means expanding safety so nourishment is no longer a source of fear.
A Gentle Reminder
If eating feels tense, fragile, or unsafe despite your best efforts to do everything right, that matters. You do not need to wait until things become extreme to deserve support.
Pregnancy and postpartum are not tests of discipline. They are periods of profound adjustment that benefit from care, compassion, and flexibility.
About Moha and Eating Disorder Counselling
Hi, I’m Moha. I am a trauma-informed therapist who specializes in working with eating disorders and body image. We live in a world that is saturated with messages about what our bodies are supposed to look like. We are told that if we look a certain way, we can finally be “enough”. As someone with lived experience of an eating disorder, I know all too well that it is never just about food; rather it is about wanting to feel loved and safe, wanting to control something in an otherwise chaotic world, or wanting to finally feel like you are enough.
Before I was a therapist, I volunteered at the Looking Glass Foundation for Eating Disorders. Here, I directly connected with individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and sexual orientations, and learned that while our journeys may look different, our core struggles remain the need. We all want to feel seen and secure. Whether you’re wanting to make peace with food, finally giving up on dieting, or learning to accept yourself as you are, I promise to take this path together with you. From someone who has been there, recovery is possible.
I also acknowledge that we live in a fatphobic world. Intersecting identities and systems of oppression can make it even more challenging to focus on recovery for folks of colour who are in larger bodies. Together, we will equip you with tools to take care of yourself, and continue to live your life to the fullest. I operate from a Health-At-Every-Size, fat-positive, and body-neutral lens.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation to answer any questions about my process and to see if we might be a good fit!
