Table 2.

Conceptualization and development of key thematic areas

Emerging themes	Key theme	Topic areas investigated during FGDs and KII
Community perceptions of the re‐trained TBAs as birth companions and nutrition advocates	Changing norm for TBAs service and care practices	Awareness and recognition of the importance of the use of health facilities for maternity services. Community care seeking choices and decision making (practitioner preferences; reasons for this) Experiences of antenatal and postnatal care (characteristics of good quality care) Community preferences for care during and after pregnancy (reasons for this decision making about care) Perceptions of the re‐trained TBAs as birth companions and nutrition advocates
Noticeable change in the TBAs scope of practice	Need for re‐orienting TBAs	Knowledge of TBAs and their experience after training (reorientation; counsel pregnant women on the need for ANC and delivery in the hospital; referral to health facility for women with complications during pregnancy period; promotion of adequate maternal nutrition; rest, dietary, and workload advice; and counsel women on importance of hygiene and environmental sanitation)
Perceptions of TBAs on their new role as birth companions and nutrition advocates in the community	Adoption of TBAs to their new role	TBAs perspective of their new roles as birth companions and nutrition advocates (TBAs report being better at recognizing and reacting to complications in pregnant women and being able to advise women about when and where to seek help).
Relationship between the re‐oriented TBAs and other health workers	Changing relationship among health workers and TBAs	Community perceptions with regard to the relationship between the TBAs, CHVs, and TBAs perspective of the new roles of TBAs as birth companions and nutrition advocates.
Challenges to re‐orientation of TBAs	Barriers encountered by TBAs	Community perception on the relationship between the TBAs and other health workers. Integration of the new roles of TBAs into the main health care system (incentivization and clear division of roles)