Purpose: This study asked low income mothers about their experiences of breastfeeding care in the health system and about integrating breastfeeding into their daily lives.
Method: Focus group interviews with urban and rural nursing mothers who received WIC and were supported by breastfeeding peer counselors.
Results: Mothers said that helpful breastfeeding care providers knew correct information, established supportive personal relationships, referred women to breastfeeding specialists for problems, showed enthusiasm for nursing and facilitated breastfeeding in concrete ways during the prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum periods. Unhelpful providers missed opportunities to discuss breastfeeding, gave misinformation, encouraged formula supplementation, provided perfunctory or routine breastfeeding care, and were hard to contact when problems arose. Women valued their breastfeeding peer counselors for responding promptly to distress calls, making home visits, being knowledgeable about breastfeeding, providing hands-on assistance, and acting personal and caring. Mothers faced many challenges when incorporating breastfeeding into their daily activities. The physical bond of nursing, personal modesty, and getting on with life at home, work or school were identified as important issues.
Conclusion: Health workers should offer breastfeeding information and care in a respectful, empowering manner, and be competent to teach the technical skills of nursing. Low income mothers may face many difficulties when integrating breastfeeding into their daily lives. Feeling tied down or embarrassed to breastfeed in public can make activities of daily living difficult, and schools and workplaces are frequently inhospitable to nursing. These issues should be addressed proactively, sympathetically and realistically by health care providers during breastfeeding counseling.
Learning Objectives: 1. To describe ways that health professionals can provide provide more effective breastfeeding care to low income mothers. 2. To describe health counseling for issues and problems that arise for breastfeeding mothers beyond the health care system
Keywords: Breast Feeding, Health Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.