Baby or beauty: a Q study into post pregnancy body image

摘要: The idea that women, particularly new mothers, are overly concerned with weight and body shape has much currency in our culture. literature this area is contradictory, some arguing, for example, image integral to women's narratives of early motherhood, others it peripheral concern. This paper presents the results research conducted into after pregnancy. study used Q methodology explore manifold understandings women who had recently given birth. Research piloting produced 60 statements identified as relevant concerns mothers. Twenty participants, birth previous 3 years, were asked sort these quasi‐normal distributions. These sorts then factor analysed identify six dominant narratives: ‘family centred’, ‘stressed’, ‘happy mothers’, ‘missing personal space’, ‘supportive family’ ‘mother/child oriented’. By focusing on complexity narratives, rather than isolating...