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Content Analysis of Motivational Counseling Calls Targeting Obesity-Related Behaviors Among Postpartum Women

Maternal and Child Health Journal volume 16, pages 439–447 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Our objective was to examine mothers’ perspectives of obesity-related health behavior recommendations for themselves and their 0–6 month old infants. A health educator conducted 4 motivational counseling calls with 60 mothers of infants during the first 6 months postpartum. Calls addressed 5 behaviors for infants (breastfeeding, introduction of solid foods, sleep, TV, hunger cues), and 4 for mothers (eating, physical activity, sleep, TV). We recorded detailed notes from each call, capturing responsiveness to recommendations and barriers to change. Two independent coders analyzed the notes to identify themes. Mothers in our study were more interested in focusing on their infants’ health behaviors than on their own. While most were receptive to eliminating their infants’ TV exposure, they resisted limiting TV for themselves. There was some resistance to following infant feeding guidelines, and contrary to advice to avoid nursing or rocking babies to sleep, mothers commonly relied on these techniques. Return to work emerged as a barrier to breastfeeding, yet facilitated healthier eating, increased activity, and reduced TV time for mothers. The early postpartum period is a challenging time for mothers to focus on their own health behaviors, but returning to work appears to offer an opportunity for positive changes in this regard. To improve weight-related infant behaviors, interventions should consider mothers’ perceptions of nutrition and physical activity recommendations and barriers to adherence.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by grants from Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 133 Brookline Avenue, 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Sarah N. Price, Julia McDonald, Emily Oken, Matthew W. Gillman & Elsie M. Taveras

  2. Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

    Jess Haines

  3. Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Matthew W. Gillman

  4. Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Elsie M. Taveras

Authors
  1. Sarah N. Price
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  2. Julia McDonald
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  3. Emily Oken
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  4. Jess Haines
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  5. Matthew W. Gillman
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  6. Elsie M. Taveras
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Correspondence to Sarah N. Price.

Additional information

The abstract of this manuscript was published as part of the proceedings of The Pediatric Academic Societies’ Annual Meeting, May 1–4, 2010 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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Price, S.N., McDonald, J., Oken, E. et al. Content Analysis of Motivational Counseling Calls Targeting Obesity-Related Behaviors Among Postpartum Women. Matern Child Health J 16, 439–447 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0746-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0746-4

Keywords

  • Postpartum Women
  • Infancy
  • Nutrition
  • Physical activity
  • Obesity prevention