Power4Parents

The first year postpartum is crucial for maternal and infant health. Diet quality during this time profoundly affects breast milk supply, nutrient status, body weight and long-term disease risk. Additionally, studies also suggest that parent’s dietary behavior is mirrored in the food preferences and habit of their children. Both aspects highlight the importance of healthy food choices by parents during this critical time.

In the Netherlands, postpartum nutritional counselling is provided by some healthcare professionals to a limited extent. A survey of 69 healthcare professionals revealed that this limited counselling is due to constraints related to knowledge and time. The professionals consider nutritional counselling important and highlighted their desire for effective strategies to provide high-quality nutritional counselling, including mHealth apps. Therefore, we aim to design and pilot the first Dutch empowerment program focusing on parental nutritional intake ‘Power 4 Parents’.

Power 4 Parents will be designed based on a literature study and co-creation sessions involving parents, lactation experts, dietitians and youth health care professionals. This project builds on the Power 4 a Healthy Pregnancy (P4HP) programme conducted at WUR with stakeholders like the Nutrition Centre and Association of Dietitians.

The project will deliver the following products:

• Relevant stakeholders on board
• Literature review
• Ideas for integral empowerment strategy Power4Parents
• Pilot with ten pairs of parents

Publications