Once the pregnancy was made public, the social environment became more prominent: magazines and books were exchanged, advice (whether sought or not) was given and experiences were shared. Lessons were learned from this: ‘I did not know that I was supposed to take folic acid
until she told me’; comparisons were made: ‘I know a woman who drank alcohol during her pregnancy, I would never do that’, and social support was experienced: ‘My partner also eats healthier snacks because of my being pregnant’. However, well-intentioned advice was not always
appreciated: ‘Me and my pregnant girlfriend smoked secretly together sometimes. Our partners would otherwise get angry and everybody would stare at you like you were a bad mother or something.’