Table 3 Providing physical activity advice and guidance is a tick box exercise

“To be fair, I’m sure my colleagues will say the same thing, we asked them about exercise and we have a little tick box which we do during the booking, umm, the initial booking, umm, appointments, however, we don’t kind of explore that any further.” [Lucy]

Subtheme 1:

Physical activity is only addressed at the booking appointment and not revisited again unless asked about.

Theme 3:

Providing physical activity advice and guidance is a tick box exercise.

“But I don’t think a pregnant woman is going to start exercising because she is pregnant necessarily. I think it is more women who already exercises, you know, who will continue and those are the ones who are seeking the advice.” [Anne]

Subtheme 2:

Only pregnant women who are regular exercisers will enquire about physical activity.

“Umm, so I think it’s more on, I don’t know if it is from area or individual midwives, but there is overall a lack and when I talk to the girls in the unit about, umm, their bookings, umm, I think everyone seems to focus on a different area. Umm, my work before was screening so I do screening, but no one seems to focus really on exercise.” [Sue]

Subtheme 3:

Emphasis on physical activity is inconsistent with midwives pushing different agendas.