Good green mothers consuming their way through pregnancy: roles of environmental identities and information seeking in coping with the transition

Abstract

We explore the consumption experiences of women who opt for an environmentally conscious approach to pregnancy. Our findings reveal that environmentally conscious mothers conduct extensive scientific research about the products that they purchase during pregnancy and the associated risks of using such products. They believe that their efforts to find and process such information make them experts on what is best for their babies’ health and proclaim some micromanaging powers in an uncontrollable environment. Alas, consumption decisions are simultaneously coupled with tensions between (1) needing to make informed choices and being overwhelmed with information; (2) feeling confident about seeking consumption information and lacking the confidence to share it; and (3) pursuing external expertise and resorting to internal instincts. Thus, although consumption is often perceived as a helpful coping mechanism when transitioning to new life roles, we find that it also contributes to the complexity of such transitional situations.

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