As the UK population diversifies so are the foods that are available in supermarkets such as okra (ladies fingers), yams and plantain. Pregnant women are bombarded with advice from healthcare professionals including midwives, GPs, from the media, magazines on what is best. Quite often, the nutritional values of the less usual foods are not readily available at which point, advice from a family elder can be sought. This question is one that caused me some concern when I worked as a midwife many years ago in the West Midlands and London where I was privileged to care for women from many different countries with rich cultures and array of foods. Now as a lecturer, I teach cultural issues in midwifery and feel that this session would be incomplete without some discussions about foods and its nutritional values to pregnant women and their babies.
Midwives have an important role in the education of pregnant women and their families and for ensuring that they are provided with right information. Midwives can advice Pregnant women from diverse cultural background on nutritional values of foodstuffs either individually(one to one) or in group using examples from local available and affordable foodstuffs however, one to one advice would be more effective. The best is to find out from the women themselves about local available foods with nutritive value and advice accordingly . Advice can be given during the antenatal clinic visit
Wow, I am studying availability, access and cultural food preferences of nutritious food in the innercity. Often there are strong cultural beliefs about what foods are safe during pregnancy and encourage lactation, etc. I think Catherine's advice is on-target. Work within their own beliefs system.
Hi Catherine and Mary I totally agree with you both; practitioners need to engage with women and find out from them or groups as suggested by Catherine what foods they eat and the nutritional value of each. I would be interested in any published research along these lines. Mary I would be interested in knowing more about your research.
It is just starting out. To this point I have studied stigma in a variety of contexts. I am developing the concept of nutritional stigma for people stuck in grocery deserts where they do not have easy access to affordable, nutritious food. This is the case in many large cities in the U.S. I am about to conduct the first study on this matter. I am working with two nutritionists in the Extension unit of my university. Some ethnic groups in our neighborhoods prefer certain vegetables and dietary options that might not be entirely healthy. People in innercities in the US suffer proportionately more health disparities and that includes women and children. As I have stuff I will send it to you or post it here on this forum.
MJB
Many thanks Mary, I look forward to reading the outcome of your studies.
I think it will also help to work with biodiversity department in your country as they have detailed information on plants and animal life. They will also have information on genetically modified products as there is still a room for study of their effect on a developing foetus.