The construct of thriving in pregnancy and postpartum

This article explores the construct of thriving as an integration of nutritional (manifested in weight), psychosocial, and lifestyle concerns of childbearing within the context of Orem's self-care deficit theory. Provisional definitions of thriving in pregnancy and postpartum are proposed. Preliminary dimensions of thriving in postpartum are based on factor analysis of weight, lifestyle, and psychosocial data from 145 women after childbirth. Four dimensions emerged: psychosocial distress, lifestyle patterns, a weight factor, and a body image factor. Although the dimensionality of postpartal thriving reported is preliminary, it provides a beginning foundation for assessment and intervention for postpartal women.