Table 4 Theme 2: Legitimising behaviours - Justifying diet

Relaxation of pre-pregnancy dietary rules:

“Well I, just tend to eat like sweet things every now and again which I would not have done before [my pregnancy]” (Michelle, 2^nd pregnancy, Overweight BMI)

Women in this study described a relaxed attitude and increased temptation to consume foods that they classified as unhealthy during pregnancy. These discussions also implied that rules were relaxed to assuage their own needs rather than the need to provide an ideal gestational environment. i.e. for ‘me’ rather than for ‘my pregnancy’.

Treats:

“Sometimes you do just fancy a big bar of a chocolate, and it’s an excuse to pig out because I am pregnant, now I will have a little treat” (Rose, 1^st pregnancy, Overweight BMI)

Eating foods purely for hedonic reasons, or as treats, was usually not acceptable to women prior to pregnancy. However, pregnancy allowed women to ‘indulge’, thereby legitimising treats.

Cravings:

“Now I think my body is wanting me to eat this and maybe the baby needs a bit of calcium with the cheese or a bit of sugar from the sweet things” (Mary, 1^st pregnancy, Recommended BMI)

Women craved unhealthy foods which they felt were easily resisted when not pregnant. Cravings were perceived as physiological process over which the women had no control, or as the body’s or fetus’ need for particular nutrients. This perspective on cravings justified the consumption of previously restricted unhealthy foods.

Eating in moderation:

“I had more control [over diet] before I was pregnant whereas now I think well you know a little bit of what you fancy in moderation you can have, if it makes sense” (Sam, 2^nd pregnancy, Recommended BMI)

Even though women felt that in pregnancy they could relax rigid rules, they were also aware of the consequential weight gain. Women reasoned that excess weight gain could be prevented by eating in moderation.

Compensation:

“I eat quite a lot of salad but I also eat quite a lot of chips and I know that chips are not healthy but I like them (laughs), in my mum’s house we eat a lot of veg and fruits, so I thought that was just enough really”(Sally, 1^st pregnancy, Recommended BMI)

Women felt that consumption of some unhealthy food would not harm their baby as they would be provided with adequate nutrients from healthy foods regularly consumed, regardless of their consumption of unhealthy foods.

Busy lifestyles:

“We tend to eat a lot of convenience food because I’m working full time and more things like fish fingers, chicken nuggets […] its always just whatever is in the freezer type of things” (Alex, 2^nd pregnancy, Overweight BMI)

Often women juggled work and family commitments during pregnancy. Even though they wanted to avoid eating unhealthy foods, often constraints in the way of time, feeling tired, and a lack of motivation justified their consumption of unhealthy foods.

Foods easily available and or addictive:

“I eat a lot better when I’m at work, […] I take my breakfast, my lunch and my tea, and there’s always fruit in, whereas at home I think you’re more…it’s easier just to go to the biscuit jar and get a biscuit”

(Sam, 2^nd pregnancy, Recommended BMI)

Snacking on unhealthy foods was justified on the grounds that it was easily available and hard to resist. Working women felt especially vulnerable as they tended to snack more on unhealthy foods during their maternity leave.