Abstract
BackgroundMany young men and women expect to co-parent their newborn infant. This may have a positive or negative impact on decisions to breastfeed, which is an important health behaviour, influenced by cultural and psycho-social norms. We investigated the relationship between shared parenting, infant feeding beliefs and intentions in male and female (non-parent) adolescents, comparing Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland) with high breastfeeding rates with others with low rates (Scotland, USA).MethodsWe utilised cross-sectional surveys of male and female adolescents (n = 1064, age 12–18) administered directly in schools or via the internet. We assessed attitudes to breast and formula feeding and shared parenting, using a Theory of Planned Behaviour framework, assessing beliefs, attitudes, norms and control as predictors of intention.ResultsMale and female adolescents’ breastfeeding intentions varied in line with national cultural norms. Young people from Nordic countries (high breastfeeding rates) were significantly more likely to intend to breastfeed than those from Scotland or the USA (low breastfeeding rates). Positive beliefs about breastfeeding, norms and ‘exposure’ to breastfeeding and feeding confidence were consistently stronger in Nordic countries, whereas young people in Scotland had more positive beliefs, norms and ‘exposure’ to formula feeding. Differences in parenting beliefs, norms and confidence were less consistent. In logistic regression, cultural group, positive breastfeeding beliefs and exposure, norms, and shared parenting beliefs were significant predictors of breastfeeding feeding intention.ConclusionsPositive beliefs about shared parenting and equal gender norms were related to future breastfeeding intentions for female and male adolescents. Health education programmes for young people could encourage positive breastfeeding choices by considering how this would fit with young people’s ideal parenting roles, and by emphasising benefits of complementary maternal and paternal roles in breastfeeding newborn infants.
Highlights
Many young men and women expect to co-parent their newborn infant
This study aims to learn from studying the impact of cultural norms on individual psychosocial influences on adolescents’ infant feeding and parenting beliefs, examining shared sets of beliefs, meanings and values which are socially transmitted guide behaviour, and shaped by lived experiences [21], comparing countries with high (Sweden, Finland, Norway) and low (Scotland, United States of America (USA)) breastfeeding initiation rates
In a hierarchical binomial logistic regression, we investigated whether infant feeding beliefs, norms and confidence, and similar parenting beliefs, gender norms and confidence, added variance to predicted future intention (breastfeed/combined feed (642, 78%) vs. don’t know/not breastfeed (177, 22%)
Summary
Many young men and women expect to co-parent their newborn infant. This may have a positive or negative impact on decisions to breastfeed, which is an important health behaviour, influenced by cultural and psycho-social norms. Fathers’ involvement in early parenting in western cultures has increased steadily [1, 2] and traditional gender roles, including taking part in a caring role for newborn infants, have merged [3]. Positive maternal health outcomes include reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, Swanson et al BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2017) 17:204 some cancers [7] and post-partum depression [10]. Promoting initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding for the first six months of life [11] is an important health improvement target. A Scottish study found little change in a 10 year follow-up of young people’s attitudes and intentions [unpublished observation, Swanson, 2015]
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