Eating Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum: An Internal Family Systems (IFS) Approach

When you think about eating disorders, what comes to mind?

For many people, it’s extreme restriction.

Or purging.

Or binge eating.

But what if we looked at eating disorders differently — not as pathology, but as protection?

What often gets labeled as “symptoms” may actually be protective parts trying to help you cope.

This is where Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy offers a powerful and compassionate framework for healing.

What Is Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy?

Richard C. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a non-pathologizing, evidence-based psychotherapy model.

IFS is based on one core idea:

We all have “parts.”

Rather than viewing symptoms as disorders to eliminate, IFS understands behaviors as parts of us that developed to protect us from pain, trauma, or overwhelm.

There are no bad parts.

Only protective parts doing their best.

Protector Parts in Pregnancy and Postpartum

In IFS, there are two main types of protector parts:

1. Managers (Proactive Protectors)

Managers try to prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. They step in before distress escalates.

An eating disorder “manager” part during pregnancy or postpartum might look like:

• Trying to eat “perfectly” during pregnancy

• Avoiding foods Google says could “harm” the baby

• Counting calories daily

• Weighing yourself every morning postpartum

• Obsessively planning meals to regain control

These parts believe:

“If I can just control this, I’ll be safe.”

2. Firefighters (Reactive Protectors)

Firefighters step in after emotional overwhelm hits. Their job is to put out the “fire” of distress as quickly as possible.

An eating disorder “firefighter” part during pregnancy or postpartum might look like:

• Over-exercising when feeling distressed about body changes

• Hyper-focusing on “spot training”

• Restricting after feeling guilt about eating

• Engaging in binge-purge cycles after overwhelm

These parts believe:

“I have to make this pain stop.”

Eating Disorders Are Protecting an Inner Wound

Whether a part acts as a manager or a firefighter, it is always protecting something deeper.

Perhaps:

• Fear of rejection

• Shame

• Loss of identity

• Trauma

• Feeling out of control

• Fear of being “too much”

Eating disorder behaviors are not random. They are attempts to cope.

And more often than not, they began long before pregnancy or postpartum.

Moving Beyond Labels: IFS and Eating Disorder Treatment

Traditionally, eating disorders are described by symptoms:

• Anorexia: restriction and fear of weight gain

• Bulimia: purging after meals

• Binge Eating Disorder: loss of control with food

Then judgments are layered on:

• “She cares too much about her appearance.”

• “They just need more self-control.”

• “They should distract themselves.”

In Internal Family Systems therapy, we move beyond symptom checklists and diagnoses.

Instead of asking:

“What’s wrong with you?”

We ask:

“What is this part trying to protect?”

Common Eating Disorder Parts

Through an IFS lens, eating disorders may function as parts that provide:

Distraction

Focusing on food and body distracts from stress, grief, trauma, or relational pain.

Planning

Rigid food rules provide predictability when life feels chaotic — especially during pregnancy and early motherhood.

Perfectionism

“Perfect” eating and exercise can feel like protection against shame, rejection, or failure.

These parts developed for a reason.

And they often formed during times when you didn’t have other support.

Healing Eating Disorders in Pregnancy and Postpartum Through IFS

The goal in IFS therapy is not to eliminate parts.

It is to build a relationship with them.

The first step toward healing is helping these protective parts trust that they no longer have to work so hard.

This begins with:

Compassion

Offering tenderness toward the younger version of you who developed this part to survive.

Curiosity

Genuinely wanting to understand why this part exists and what it fears would happen without its role.

Clarity

Seeing the part without judgment, from a grounded and connected place, recognizing how it interacts with other parts of you.

When protector parts feel understood and respected, they can begin to relax.

And when they relax, deeper healing becomes possible.

Why IFS Is Especially Powerful in the Perinatal Period

Pregnancy and postpartum activate old wounds:

• Body image struggles

• Trauma memories

• Attachment fears

• Identity shifts

• Loss of control

IFS allows us to gently explore these layers without shame.

It creates space for mothers to:

• Reduce food obsession

• Decrease body shame

• Heal trauma

• Build internal safety

• Break generational cycles

Because eating disorders are not about vanity.

They are about protection.

You Don’t Have to Fight Your Eating Disorder Alone

If you are experiencing an eating disorder during pregnancy or postpartum — whether that looks like restriction, bingeing, purging, over-exercising, or obsessive thoughts — you are not broken.

Your parts are trying to protect you.

And they deserve compassion, not punishment.

IFS-informed eating disorder therapy can help you understand these parts, reduce shame, and build lasting healing that supports both you and your family.

If you’re pregnant or postpartum and struggling with food, body image, or control, specialized support matters.

I offer perinatal eating disorder therapy using an Internal Family Systems approach to help you:

• Heal protective parts

• Reduce food and body obsession

• Process trauma

• Build sustainable recovery

👉 Schedule a consultation today to learn how IFS therapy can support your healing.

You deserve support.

You deserve compassion.

And every part of you deserves care.