Motherhood comes with a million unknowns. Your body changes, your mind shifts, and everything you thought you knew about food, self-image, and nourishment gets tossed in a blender with no lid. We sat down with Sam Previte, intuitive eating counselor and founder of Find Food Freedom, to talk about how motherhood reshapes your relationship with food—and why self-compassion is the key to navigating it.
Pregnancy and the Warped Lens of Diet Culture
"I’m eternally grateful that I did the work to heal my relationship with food before entering the season of trying to conceive," Sam shared. Her journey through three rounds of IVF and years of infertility made her acutely aware of how much control we think we have over our bodies—and how much of that is just smoke and mirrors.
But what happens when you’re pregnant, and your body is growing in ways you can’t predict? The noise gets louder. Diet culture’s bullshit narratives start whispering that your worth is tied to your size, even as you’re literally creating life. "So many women message me saying, ‘My body is changing during pregnancy, and it’s freaking me out. I don’t like it,’" Sam says. "Then they feel shame for not liking it because they know they’re doing something beautiful."
Her response? Strip away the pregnancy for a second and ask yourself: What do you believe about bigger bodies? Because that belief system doesn’t just pop up during pregnancy—it’s been there all along.
The Double Standard of Intuitive Eating During Pregnancy
Sam talks about how pregnancy sometimes gives people "permission" to eat intuitively—something they deny themselves when it’s just about their own body. "I have clients who, during pregnancy, finally allow themselves to listen to their hunger cues because they’re growing a human," she explains. "But as soon as that baby is born, it’s back to diet culture, back to restriction, back to the idea that they aren’t worthy of nourishment anymore."
It’s not about food. It’s about belief systems. What if we extended that same grace and compassion we have during pregnancy to our everyday lives? What if you didn’t need a microscopic being to give yourself permission to eat when you’re hungry?
Feeding Kids and Letting Go of Control
Feeding kids is its own chaotic experience. "I hate feeding kids," Sam admits. "I actually despise it." For someone who spends her career talking about intuitive eating and food freedom, that honesty is refreshing.
It’s because kids are unpredictable. One day, they’ll eat everything on their plate. The next, they’re dipping sausage in mango kefir and calling it gourmet. "You cannot control them," Sam says. "You can’t force them to chew, to swallow, to like what you make. You can only provide structure and safe boundaries and hope for the best."
Advocating for Yourself in Medical Spaces
Navigating pregnancy and parenthood also means dealing with the medical system—a place where weight stigma is alive and well. Sam shared her experience of constant questioning during her last pregnancy: Are you diabetic? What did you eat during pregnancy? Did you eat a lot of sugar? "The way things were worded made it sound like my choices were the reason my daughter was in the NICU," she recalls. "And I’m a professional in this field. If I felt guilty and ashamed, I can only imagine what it’s like for someone without that experience."
This is why self-advocacy is critical. "You can refuse to be weighed. You can bring pre-written notes for your doctor to avoid certain discussions. You deserve safe, weight-inclusive care," Sam emphasizes.
You Are Enough—Even When It Feels Like You’re Not
The overarching theme of our conversation with Sam was simple but powerful: You are doing the best you can with the resources you have. It’s not about perfect meals, perfect bodies, or perfect parenting. It’s about finding grace in the chaos and advocating for yourself—even when the world isn’t built to support it.
If you find yourself struggling with food, body image, or parenthood, just remember: it’s not your fault, and you’re not alone. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time to start giving yourself the same grace you so freely give to everyone else.
About Sam Previte (she/her)
Sam Previte is a Registered Dietitian (RD), Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Certified Personal Trainer, and the Founder of Find Food Freedom®. She is also lover of all things media, hosting the Find Food Freedom® Podcast, co-hosting of the What The Actual Fork™ Podcast. and featuring in many segments including NBC News, CBS Mornings, & The Drew Barrymore Show!
She earned her Bachelor’s of Science at Penn State University and then went to Adagio Health in Pittsburgh, PA to earn her RD credential. After completing traditional schooling, she went on to gain additional certifications in Intuitive Eating & Body Image which is where she found her true passion and Find Food Freedom® was born.
Find Food Freedom® is a virtual private practice made up of a team of Intuitive Eating Professionals dedicated to their mission of helping humans make peace with food and their body. Find Food Freedom® is a fierce team of women who are committed to bettering the lives of everyone they reach.
