Theme A the baby
Women in this study had a powerful interest in maximising
fetal health and this desire motivated them to
avoid prohibited food items and to adhere to the GDM
self-management regime, as closely as possible. Participants
described being willing to do whatever they were required
to do, in the baby’s best interests. Most understood clearly
that GDM could impact negatively on the baby’s health.
Xioquan explains:
It will affect your baby, so you have to do the right
thing by the baby. I do have the temptation. But those
times I control and I eat well for my baby because I
be there for the baby. . . I do just monitor what I eat
and, you know, more exercise definitely than before. . .
Xioquan
Although participants were uniformly concerned about
the baby’s welfare, and equally prepared to act in the
baby’s best interests, their understanding of how diet
and exercise would improve the baby’s health was sometimes
a little sketchy:
Just cooking healthy food. . . and just walking, yeah,
that makes the baby stronger. . .Fatima
Some women were additionally motivated by a strong
desire to right earlier behaviours such as overeating and
eating unhealthy foods. These women aimed to redress
the balance in favour of the baby. Lili explains:
I was very determined to make sure I could do
absolutely anything within my power to not allow any,
something to happen to the baby. I knew I had
brought it on myself by being overweight. . .I felt very
responsible. . .Lili