The Pregnancy-Related Beliefs Questionnaire

The following is a list of different attitudes or beliefs that people sometimes hold. Read each statement carefully and decide how much you agree or disagree with the statement. Many of them relate to attitudes and expectations about being a mother more than being pregnant. Try to think about these in terms of your own expectations or ideas about motherhood. For each of the beliefs show your answer by placing a tick under the column that best describes how you think. There is no correct answer as everybody is different. To decide on the correct response when you are thinking about a statement, try to imagine yourself in the situation and answer how you feel rather than what you think should be the right answer. Another way of helping you decide would be to decide whether a given attitude is your typical way of looking at things - most of the time.

Belief: answer each statement according Totally Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Disagree Totally to the way you think most of the time agree very slightly slightly very disagree much much 1. I should not have to ask for help with 7 my baby 2. I am as enthusiastic as I should be about 1 7 my future role as a mother 3. I can cope with my baby on my own. 1 7 4. If I do not keep up my appearance 7 people will reject me 5. If people criticise my baby it is not a 1 7 criticism of me 6. If my home does not look absolutely 7 right I feel a failure 7. If I do not feel maternal it means I am 7 bad 8. I do not have to be a perfect mother 1 9. My independence is very important to 7 me 10. During the time following childbirth 1 my partner has as much responsibility as I have to make our relationship work 11. I expect my baby will be happy if I am 7 around a lot 12. If people only see me as a mother or 7 wife I would feel diminished as a person 13. I should be able to control how I feel 7 14. I can’t keep my baby safe from all 1 sources of infection 15. I should appreciate every single 7 moment of the early part of my baby’s life 16. It is important for me to get back to my 7 normal activities as soon as possible after the birth Belief: answer each statement Totally Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Disagree Totally according to the way you think most agree very slightly slightly very disagree of the time much much 17. I have to do all it takes to make my 7 baby completely happy 18. People who cry for no reason are 7 just being hysterical 19. I feel frustrated if I am prevented 7 from doing the things I want to do 20. I should be able to bring on milk if I 7 want to 21. My wishes are no less important 1 than those of other people in my life 22. If I ask for help with mothering my 1 baby it is not a sign that I am failing 23. I should try hard to keep my figure 7 during pregnancy 24. I have a very clear picture in my 1 mind of what it will be like to have a newborn baby 25. Motherhood is an instinctive and 7 natural state for a woman 26. I have to be able to plan my day 7 27 I expect that my life will be 7 generally improved as a result of this pregnancy 28. If my baby was unhappy it would be 7 because of something I had not done 29. Being a mother will be the most 7 fulfilling experience I can ever have 30. Sometimes it is necessary to put my 1 own needs before those of my baby 31. My immediate family should be the 7 only ones I need 32. It is selfish to get upset in front of 7 my family 33. I expect to just be able to see more 7 of people as a result of this pregnancy 34. I should be able to just cope like 7 everyone else does 35. I expect my relationship with my 1 partner might become very different after this pregnancy 36. It is important for me to make sure I 7 look my best 37. People know what kind of person I 7 am by the activities I do 38. If my baby is unhappy I will feel 7 that it is my fault Belief: answer each statement Totally Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Disagree Totally according to the way you think most agree very slightly slightly very disagree of the time much much 39. If someone important pays me less 7 attention after the birth it is because the baby is more important to them than I 40. If someone else’s baby is happier 7 than mine it is probably because I am an inadequate mother 41. If I am unable to satisfy my baby I 7 am a bad mother 42. I have got to do regular exercise 7 after the birth to get my figure back 43. I welcome the changes in my body, 1 even those like odours (not including any illnesses) 44. If I do not have lots of interesting 7 news it shows I am a dull person 45. I should be cheerful and entertaining 7 for people when they come to visit 46. My sense of worth entirely depends 7 on my achievement at work 47. If I do not feel completely 7 emotionally attached to my baby I should worry about what this means 48. Even if I really let myself go my 1 partner would not leave me or have an affair 49. If my baby loves me back (s)he will 7 play with me better than anyone else 50. Feeling continually tired is an 7 unpleasant experience I could not bear. 51. If my baby is able to rule my 7 activities it is because I am too weak 52. If I can’t look after my baby 7 properly it shows I am useless 53. After my baby is born I will never 7 be lonely in my life again 54. Motherhood is a time when I should 7 be calm and serene