Mii and MiiBump: Supporting pregnant women to continue or commence an active lifestyle

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how women perceive exercising during pregnancy and whether existing technologies could be used to support active behaviours. Information for pregnant women who wish to continue or start exercising is limited and not readily offered. With the ever growing capability and accessibility to technologies research is warranted to investigate whether it could be used to help support exercising during pregnancy. An interpretative phenomenological approach was used to conduct in-depth interviews with five women, via purposive sampling. The data revealed that the participants perceived a number of barriers to active behaviours, such as the lack of a pregnant buddy with which to exercise. A lack of provided information was evident with the women claiming to have sought appropriate information themselves. Findings highlighted the potential for existing technologies to be utilised in order to support and enhance exercise behaviours during pregnancy.

Understanding pregnancy as a teachable moment for behaviour change: a comparison of the COM-B and teachable moments models

“… One of the women who had not sought any advice and did not receive any was worried about the health of the baby when exercising […] Lack of the right advice meant that the fears of exercising took over and she stopped all exercise as a result. (Trevorrow, 2016 ) Women were sometimes driven to make healthy changes as they believed doing so would result in positive outcomes, such as increasing the chances of experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy or birth. Some women also believed that eating healthily and maintaining physical activity would aid with their post-birth recovery, and positively impact their future health, which often motivated change.…”

“…One of the women who had not sought any advice and did not receive any was worried about the health of the baby when exercising […] Lack of the right advice meant that the fears of exercising took over and she stopped all exercise as a result. (Trevorrow, 2016 )…”