Research Article

Women's and Midwives' Perspectives on the Design of a Text Messaging Support for Maternal Obesity Services: An Exploratory Study

Table 3

Results from the second focus group on the proposed text messaging service in support of obesity management in pregnancy.

CategoriesSubcategoriesData extracts

The serviceSupportive for both women and health professional teamIt’s all inspirational, motivation isn’t it? … to have the extra support and help there, I think it’s very good (Kate)
It's nice for us to know they are accessing something and it helps us, doesn't it? It's like support for us: they are being motivated by someone else. We don't see them very much: we see them at booking, 16 and 28 weeks; they can have put loads of weight on by then (Jackie, MW)
Available to allI think that probably more people should have it than just the selected ones that get invited to the clinic. I think there should be something like that for everybody (Jenny)

InformativeI thought the one that said you're not eating for two, that was good as well, because nobody actually said that to me, and I just used to make myself bigger portions all the time because I thought I was eating for two (Jenny)
Text message contentMotivationalI like number 8: every day that you eat healthily and exercise makes a difference to your baby, you can do it. It's to the point and motivational at the end. It could just kick-start you that day to make you feel like you could be a bit healthier (Kathy, MW)
Facilitates forward planningI quite like those planning messages but maybe even start thinking about what you're going to have tomorrow. I know when I get into bad habits it's through lack of planning (Jackie, MW)

Message delivery patternEngagement and choiceI thought it seemed a nice, relaxed session. She [mum] was very involved in choosing. I liked that the messages were up in front of the mum (Kathy, MW)
There was no pressure to have certain ones, or to have a lot, you could just pick a few if you wanted, or you could have loads if you wanted, it's completely up to you. Because if you felt under pressure you just wouldn't enjoy it, would you? (Sally)
I'd prefer a motivational one on a couple of days when I wasn't planning on doing anything, and a food one when I knew I was gonna be staying in that night to cook, that type of thing. So probably for me, only about 5 times a week (Rachel)
Managing time and workload implicationsMaybe a telephone consultation [for later appointments], rather than coming in again  ... just a quick phone call: are you still liking the messages, do you want to change anything?” (Jane, MW)