Navigating Postpartum While in Eating Disorder Recovery
Blog Post by Contributing Editor Emilee Young, RDN, LD
Motherhood is often described as this magical time of joy, bonding, and unconditional love. And yes, sometimes it is. But it can also be a time of deep grief, identity shifts, and overwhelming emotional and physical change. And when you’re navigating the postpartum period while also in eating disorder recovery? That complexity can feel really, really heavy.
Postpartum can challenge your recovery in ways that catch you off guard. It might stir up thoughts and feelings you thought you had already worked through. But here’s what I want you to hear loud and clear: it is absolutely possible to care for yourself and protect your recovery during this time. You can show up for your baby and for yourself even if it looks nothing like you pictured.
If you’re walking this path (or love someone who is), you’re not alone. And you don’t have to do it without support.
The Body After Birth: Sitting With the Changes
Let’s talk about the body stuff - because wow, postpartum hits fast. Your body shifts seconds after your baby is born, and suddenly, you're left navigating this new physical version of yourself. A body that did something incredible may now feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or even disappointing.
And while culture keeps yelling, “bounce back,” recovery gently reminds us: your body never left you. It’s always been working for you.
It’s okay if you’re struggling. Feeling grief over the changes, discomfort with softness, or a loss of control - those feelings are real and valid. They don’t mean you’re doing recovery wrong. They mean you’re human. This is where we come back to compassion over perfection, every single time.
Feeding Yourself While Feeding a Baby
Feeding a baby becomes everything in those early weeks. Whether you’re nursing, bottle feeding, pumping, supplementing, or a mix of it all - it’s full-on. And in the chaos, feeding yourself can quickly fall to the bottom of the list.
If you’re in recovery, that can be a slippery slope. Skipping meals, going long stretches without food, or eating in a rushed, distracted way can bring up old patterns or disconnect you from your hunger and fullness cues.
This is where we go back to the basics: gentle structure, consistent meals, easy snacks (I’ve got a postpartum snack guide for that if you need ideas!). Let people help. Let convenience in. Nourishment doesn’t have to be fancy, it just needs to happen.
Recovery doesn’t ask for perfection. It asks for presence.
The Mental Load
I know how lonely postpartum can feel. The days can blur together, and the outside world keeps moving while yours suddenly revolves around this tiny human. And if you’re in recovery, that isolation can get loud. Old thoughts might creep in. Urges might resurface. The voice of your eating disorder might try to fill the quiet.
And then there’s the anxiety. The, “Am I doing this right?” spiral. The constant mental tally of bottles, diapers, naps, and meals. It’s a lot.
Recovery during this season might mean reaching out more than you’re used to - therapy, support groups, a dietitian, medication, or a check-in with a safe friend. Prioritizing your mental health is not selfish. It’s survival. It’s strength.
Rewriting the “Good Mom” Narrative
There’s this outdated idea that good moms sacrifice everything. That being exhausted, underfed, and emotionally tapped out is just part of the job.
But recovery teaches us a new story: taking care of yourself is taking care of your baby. Your needs matter too. Rest is productive. Food is fuel. Modeling self-compassion is one of the most powerful gifts we can offer our children.
It’s okay if your recovery looks different right now. It’s okay to need more support, more grace, and more flexibility. That doesn’t make you less of a mom. It makes you an honest one.
This Mother’s Day, we see you.
We see you fighting for yourself and for your baby.
That is brave. That is beautiful. That is enough.
Emilee Young, RDN, LD
Founder/Dietitian, Embrace Nutrition
About the Contributor: Emilee Young, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorder recovery. She’s a preferred provider with Postpartum Virginia, and is passionate about supporting individuals through every stage of their eating disorder journey. Emilee’s work is rooted in a weight-inclusive, anti-diet approach, and is shaped by both her professional experience and her personal path to food freedom. When she’s not seeing clients, she’s navigating new motherhood herself and soaking up life in Virginia with her husband and baby boy. Emilee is currently accepting new clients with her practice, Embrace Nutrition Counseling!