Table 3 Young women’s views about sources of information in pregnancy

Health care professionals:

Midwife or Family Nurse Partnership

• Trust in Professionals

"My midwife has been doing her job for a long time and I trust her, her knowledge and her judgement"

"Midwives are qualified and know exactly what they're talking about."

• Accurate and reliable advice

"Midwife know everything what is needed for a healthy pregnancy, she was easy to talk to and very informative"

"Midwife/Family nurse will have knowledge from training, be more understanding of personal circumstance."

• Face to Face information/questions

"Face to face. Factual and can ask questions and get answers immediately!"

"The midwife discusses it in more detail."

• Continuous relationship through pregnancy

"My first two pregnancies I had the same midwife, I developed a bond with her in this time and felt I could trust the information that has been given to me."

"More personal; through experience; they know you better"

• Not getting sufficient information

"I want information off the midwifes but they haven't given me any"

• Appointment length short

"Pre booked appointment to talk more than seven minutes".

Self- Study:

Leaflet/Booklet/Tommy's Guide

• Easy to read in own time

"I can read through in my own time"

"Can keep for reference"

• Lose leaflets

"It's easy to lose bits of paper like booklets and guides"

"They are easy to misplace and lose"

Bounty pack

• Good timing and free goodies

"They are given to you at an early stage"

"Creative and lots of goodies with it"

• Universal

"Everyone gets a bounty pack so everyone gets same info."

• Too much information/reading

"I would not read a whole book on how to do something"

• Advertising & Commercial (Bounty)

Bounty is a marketing scheme so sometimes sceptical on information as they may be trying to sell things to you

Websites/Social media/Apps

• Accessible anytime

"I can gain the information straight away on my phone instead of having to wait to see your midwife to hand you tonnes of stupid pointless leaflets!"

"Its easy to get hold of the info 24/7"

"It's easy access, for instance if I'm not sure wether a certain food is safe to eat during pregnancy I try to look online for the answer."

"As my social media sites are always on so I can easily access it wherever I am"

"You can access it anytime without feeling you are constantly hassling someone"

• Unreliable and contradictory information

"Would have liked more information from midwife as you feel it's trusted information coming from a healthcare provider, whereas on the internet you can receive conflicting information"

"May not be a reliable source"

"Cannot always trust the Internet as some sites give opposite advice"

"Some websites can contradict what you have read on other websites"

• Not accessible to all

"Not everybody has access to them"

"My phone and tablet don't work very well so I was unable to use apps"

Social support:

Partner/Family/Friends

• Available from day 1

Family cos you change your habits of eating unhealthy the day you find out your pregnant

• Having experience and knowing you

"family told me information because they have loads of experi with preganices and what to do before getting pregnant with vitamins and eating and drinking after your body and baby"

• Interfering and patronising

"I couldn't have family advising me, I would find it patronizing."

"Gets frustrating with family interfering"

"Don't like being told what to do"

• Outdated/inaccurate advice

"What family friends and partners tell you is not always true and is mainly their opinion"

"They all have different views",

"A lot of advice you get giving my family, friends etc. are normally 'old wives tales' that are untrue."

Parenting Classes

• Social way to meet other mums

Can all talk about different healthy foods in the classes

• Content too general

"Never told us about healthy eating focus was on labour and delivery"

• Fear/experience of being judged by other mums and session leaders

"Went once felt inadequate, woman was too patronizing and didn't return"

"Other mums and leader judging different lifestyles, wouldnt have the confidence to speak in one of those classes"

• Time to attend

"I didn't have time to attend parenting classes when pregnant"

"Not everyone goes to classes and theres alot to take in"

"Dislike the parenting class atmosphere."