1 | Independently, each member of the research team, familiarised themselves with the data set. Starting to search the transcripts for meanings and patterns. |
2 | Independently, each member of the research team generated initial codes, identifying interesting features in the data. Codes identify a feature of the data referring to ‘... the most basic segment, or element, of the raw data or information that can be assessed in a meaningful way regarding the phenomenon.’ 19 This process was systematic and iterative; coding was informed by the accumulating data and continuing analysis.16 |
3 | Independently, each member of the research team searched for themes, where codes were combined meaningfully into potential themes. A theme captures something important about the dataset in relation to the research question, and represents some level of meaning. |
4 | As a research team, the themes were reviewed. Themes were refined to ensure the data supported them and that there were clear distinctions between them, creating overarching themes to describe the whole dataset. Discussions among researchers with different perspectives facilitated theoretical triangulation and served to increase the trustworthiness of the analysis.15 Two members of the research team were psychology students, one with a future career in midwifery planned and two were health psychologists with experience of maternity and behaviour change research. Two members were mothers and thus experienced the postnatal GP check. |
5 | As a research team, the themes and sub themes were named and defined. |
6 | The report was produced with input from the whole research team; an analytic narrative supported by illustrative extracts provided. |