Abstract
This qualitative study analyzes mothers’ reports of breastfeeding care experiences from pregnancy through infancy. Most research
on medical support for breastfeeding examines a specific practice or intervention during an isolated phase of care. Little
is know about how mothers experience breastfeeding education and support from the prenatal period through their child’s first
year. A convenience sample of 75 black and white WIC participants with infants was recruited at three Maryland WIC agencies.
In-depth interviews covered mothers’ comprehensive experiences of breastfeeding education and support from pregnancy through
the interview date. Most mothers received education or support from a medical professional prenatally, at the hospital, or
during the child’s infancy, but most also reported receiving no education or support at one or more of these stages. Mothers
often felt provided education and support was cursory and inadequate. Some mothers received misinformation or encountered
practitioners who were hostile or indifferent to breastfeeding. Mothers were not given referrals to available resources, even
after reporting breastfeeding challenges. Mothers received inconsistent messages regarding breastfeeding within and across
institutions. Mothers need consistent, sustained information and support to develop and meet personal breastfeeding goals.
Medical professionals should follow guidelines issued by their own organizations as well as those from the US Surgeon General,
Healthy People 2020, and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. Prenatal, postnatal, and pediatric care providers should coordinate
to provide consistent messages and practices within and across sites of care.
on medical support for breastfeeding examines a specific practice or intervention during an isolated phase of care. Little
is know about how mothers experience breastfeeding education and support from the prenatal period through their child’s first
year. A convenience sample of 75 black and white WIC participants with infants was recruited at three Maryland WIC agencies.
In-depth interviews covered mothers’ comprehensive experiences of breastfeeding education and support from pregnancy through
the interview date. Most mothers received education or support from a medical professional prenatally, at the hospital, or
during the child’s infancy, but most also reported receiving no education or support at one or more of these stages. Mothers
often felt provided education and support was cursory and inadequate. Some mothers received misinformation or encountered
practitioners who were hostile or indifferent to breastfeeding. Mothers were not given referrals to available resources, even
after reporting breastfeeding challenges. Mothers received inconsistent messages regarding breastfeeding within and across
institutions. Mothers need consistent, sustained information and support to develop and meet personal breastfeeding goals.
Medical professionals should follow guidelines issued by their own organizations as well as those from the US Surgeon General,
Healthy People 2020, and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. Prenatal, postnatal, and pediatric care providers should coordinate
to provide consistent messages and practices within and across sites of care.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s10995-011-0939-x
- Authors
- Caitlin Cross-Barnet, Department of Sociology, Franklin and Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003, USA
- Marycatherine Augustyn, Department of Family, Population, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Susan Gross, Department of Family, Population, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Amy Resnik, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA
- David Paige, Department of Family, Population, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Journal Maternal and Child Health Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-6628
- Print ISSN 1092-7875