Page 150 - Pro-active Management of Women’s Health after Cardiometabolic Complicated Pregnancies

148 | Part 3 Lifestyle intervention
pieces of fruit and two ounces of vegetables a day.” The pregnancy complications and their consequences were experienced as stressful life events, and the processing of and coping with these life events contributed to lack of recovery. In particular, the burden of emotional damage and the importance of psychological recovery were mentioned. Women also reported feelings of loss of control over their own body, and feelings of loss of confidence in their own body. Women reported that the recovery process as well as the adoption of a healthy postpartum lifestyle was hindered by a lack of postpartum support from health care providers, lack of knowledge, and lack of understanding about the pregnancy complication and its consequences: “That’s something I’ve missed, women who have been through the same thing to share experiences with, to be able to process my experiences.” “Nobody around me indicated what had happened to me, what I could expect to happen after delivery, and what kind of help could be offered to me when needed.”
Compared with women who experienced preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, women with gestational diabetes struggled with a healthy postpartum diet for different reasons. Whereas maintaining the diet prescribed by a dietician was associated with feelings of solitude, dullness, and isolation from their family or friends among women who had gestational diabetes, women who had preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction generally struggled with a healthy diet because of lack of recovery.
Other perceived barriers included lack of time and energy caused by daily demands such as taking care of their offspring, housekeeping, working, and frequent hospital visits. “I was already very pleased that I could run my household and to go to work. And that was all I could cope with at the time. For nine months I was worn out just by doing that”. Frequent hospital visits were a particular challenge for women who had had intrauterine growth restriction,