Breastfeeding Practices Of Women Research Articles

Delayed Lactogenesis Is Associated with Suboptimal Breastfeeding Practices: A Prospective Cohort Study

Breastfeeding has many established health benefits to both babies and mothers. There is limited evidence on the association between delayed lactogenesis and breastfeeding practices. We assessed the association between delayed lactogenesis and breastfeeding practices in women initiating breastfeeding. We used data from a prospective cohort study in Wuhan, China, which enrolled pregnant women at 8-16 weeks of gestation and followed up to postpartum. Women were included who had a singleton live birth, initiated breastfeeding, and provided information on infant feeding. Maternal lactogenesis status was assessed by face-to-face interview at day 4 postpartum. Breastfeeding practices (full breastfeeding and/or any breastfeeding) were queried by telephone interview at 3, 6, and 12 mo postpartum. Poisson regression and Cox regression were used to identify the association between delayed lactogenesis and breastfeeding practices. Delayed lactogenesis was reported by 17.9% of the 2877 participants. After adjusting for potential confounders, when compared with timely lactogenesis, delayed lactogenesis was significantly associated with higher risk of inability to sustain full breastfeeding at 3 mo postpartum (RR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.39) and 6 mo postpartum (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.24). Delayed lactogenesis was also significantly associated with early termination of any breastfeeding (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.30) in the adjusted model. In a combined analysis, women with higher gestational weight gain (GWG, ≥16kg for underweight and normal weight, 15kg for overweight/obesity) and who subsequently experienced delayed lactogenesis had the highest risk of ending any breastfeeding earlier (adjusted HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.55) compared with those who gained less GWG and experienced timely lactogenesis. This study shows that delayed lactogenesis was associated with low rate of full breastfeeding and shorter duration of any breastfeeding. Greater efforts to promote breastfeeding should be targeted towards women with delayed lactogenesis.

Breast Feeding Practices: Comparison Between Educated and Illiterate Mothers in Kathmandu, Nepal

Breastfeeding practice is important to determine the children’s mortality and morbidity in the context of Nepal. The aim of this research was to compare the breastfeeding practices dominant among the educated and illiterate mothers of reproductive age (15-49) in Kathmandu Valley. The research was aimed at comparing the breastfeeding practices of women at different age groups, and exploring the issues of the frequency of breastfeeding among the educated and illiterate mothers. It was carried in four communities of Kirtipur Municipality that is located in the Valley. Educated mothers (from the School Leaving Certificate passed to Master’s Degree holders) with their children were encompassed in this research study and the statistics and the meanings were collected by means of the piloted opinionaire on breastfeeding practices. The result showed that most of the mothers who were illiterate had better practices of breastfeeding as compared with the educated mothers.  This research highlights the necessity for breastfeeding involvement packages particularly for the educated mothers who know the techniques of breastfeeding but  don’t want to do so on time due to a busy life schedule and concerning the appearance and beauty of their body.

Factors associated with intention to exclusive breastfeed in central women\u2019s hospital, Yangon, Myanmar

BackgroundUnder-nutrition is a public health problem in Myanmar. Despite current efforts, the exclusive breastfeeding rate (EBF) for children under six months is only 24%. Intention to breastfeed is a strong predictor for long-term breastfeeding, however, little is known about pregnant women’s breastfeeding intentions in Myanmar. We, therefore, aimed to identify the factors associated with women’s intention to EBF.MethodData in this article was collected in a baseline survey for a randomized controlled trial, which aimed to assess the impact of mobile text messages on the breastfeeding practices of women in Yangon, Myanmar. A total of 353 pregnant women at 28–34 weeks of gestation, recruited into the trial from the antenatal clinics of the Central Women’s Hospital, Yangon, Myanmar, responded to the baseline survey questions, which included background information and breastfeeding related characteristics. To determine factors associated with women’s intention to EBF logistic regression was used to analyse individual demographic, household economic and breastfeeding characteristics. In-depth interviews were performed with a sub-sample of 24 women who participated in the survey, to gain a further understanding of these associated factors.ResultsAfter adjusting for potential confounders, working women were less likely to intend to EBF (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.30, CI 0.17–0.53). Women from rich households (AOR = 2.43, CI 1.08–5.47) and middle income households (AOR = 1.79, CI 1.01–3.16); those who had high (AOR = 10.19, CI 3.43–30.23) and medium (AOR = 5.46, CI 1.79–16.72) breastfeeding knowledge levels, and received information from health professionals (AOR = 2.29, CI 1.29–4.03) and mobile internet (AOR 3.62, CI 2.04–6.41) had a higher intention to EBF. These findings were supported by qualitative analysis, which revealed that returning to work was the main barrier; health staff and printed media are reliable sources and; women with higher knowledge had high intentions to EBF.ConclusionsEBF intention was influenced by many factors. Breastfeeding promotion programs should target the poor, working women and women with lower breastfeeding knowledge. Breastfeeding education via health staff and the Internet, breastfeeding facilities at the work place and longer maternity leave in the private sector should all be encouraged.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000063516.

Timing of return to work and women's breastfeeding practices in urban Malaysia: A qualitative study.

Nearly half of the working population in Malaysia are women, and with only a short period of maternity leave, they may struggle to achieve the recommended 6months of exclusive breastfeeding. The aim of this paper was to explore the relationship between the timing of return to work and beliefs and breastfeeding practices among women in urban Malaysia. A qualitative inquiry based on a phenomenological framework and multiple methods was used: face-to-face interview, participant diary and researcher field notes. Data collection took place in Penang and the Klang Valley, Malaysia, from March to September 2011. Eligible participants were purposely identified at randomly selected recruitment sites. A thematic analysis method was used to develop the typologies and categories of the findings. A total of 40 working women with a mean age of 32years (SD 3.4) were interviewed and 15 participated in the diary writing. Most women (75%) returned to work between 2 and 3months. Only 10% returned to work 4months or later postpartum, and 15% had an early return to work (defined here as less than 2months). The women fell into three groups: Passionate women with a strong determination to breastfeed, who exclusively breastfed for 6months; Ambivalent women, who commenced breastfeeding but were unable to sustain this after returning to work; and Equivalent women, who perceived formula feeding as equally nutritious as breast milk. Although longer maternity leave was very important for Ambivalent women to maintain breastfeeding, it was not as important for the Equivalent or Passionate women. In conclusion, returning earlier was not an absolute barrier to continuing breastfeeding. Instead, a woman's beliefs and perceptions of breastfeeding were more important than the timing of her return to work in determining her ability to maintain breastfeeding or breast milk feeding.

Inadequate prenatal care use and breastfeeding practices in Canada: a national survey of women.

BackgroundPrevious studies have demonstrated that prenatal care (PNC) has an effect on women’s breastfeeding practices. This study aims to examine the influence of adequacy of PNC initiation and services use on breastfeeding practices in Canada.MethodsData for this secondary analysis was drawn from the Maternity Experiences Survey (MES), a cross sectional, nationally representative study that investigated the peri-and post-natal experiences of mothers, aged 15 and above, with singleton live births between 2005 and 2006 in the Canadian provinces and territories. Adequacy of PNC initiation and services use were measured by the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index. The main outcomes were mother’s intent to breastfeed, initiate breastfeeding, exclusively breastfeed, and terminate breastfeeding at 6 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed the adequacy of PNC initiation and service use on breastfeeding practices, while adjusting for socioeconomic, demographic, maternal, pregnancy and delivery related variables. Bootstrapping was performed to account for the complex sampling design.ResultsAround 75.0 % of women intended to only breastfeed their child, with 90.0 % initiating breastfeeding, while 6 month termination and exclusive breastfeeding rates were at 52.0 % and 14.3 %, respectively. Regression analysis showed no association between adequate PNC initiation or services use, and any breastfeeding practice. Mothers with either a family doctor or a midwife as PNC provider were significantly more likely to have better breastfeeding practices compared to an obstetrician.ConclusionsIn Canada, provider type impacts a mother’s breastfeeding decision and behavior rather than quantity and timing of PNC.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12884-016-0889-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

My People are Dying of Ignorance: Changes in Exclusive Breastfeeding Knowledge, Benefits, Barriers, and Misconceptions in Family Members Involved in a Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign

BackgroundSince 2003, WHO has recommended exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life. In the NW Region of Cameroon only 34% of women EBF for six months. Previous research indicates that family members positively influence women's breastfeeding practices, but are often excluded from breastfeeding promotion campaigns.Study ObjectiveTo design an Entertainment Education (EE) audio program to test the hypothesis that EE improves EBF knowledge, benefits, and decreases misconceptions and barriers among family members of breastfeeding women.MethodsFormative research consisting of 12 semi‐structured interviews and 6 focus group discussions informed the content of an EE audio program using grounded theory. Differences in EBF knowledge, benefits, barriers and misconceptions between and within the control group and the intervention group were evaluated using pre‐and post‐tests and analyzed with Wilcoxon Sign Test and Mann‐Whitney statistical tests.ResultsThe audio program significantly improved overall EBF knowledge and benefits and decreased misconceptions within the intervention group (p <. 05).ConclusionThis study provided insight into family member's EBF knowledge, benefits, barriers, and false misconceptions and proved that an EE audio program is an effective method of providing breastfeeding education to this population.

Breastfeeding practices in women with type 1 diabetes: a discussion of the psychosocial factors and policies in Sweden and Australia.

Women with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) face many challenges during their pregnancy, birth and in the postnatal period, including breastfeeding initiation and continuation while maintaining stable glycaemic control. In both Sweden and Australia the rates of breastfeeding initiation are high. However, overall there is limited information about the breastfeeding practices of women with T1DM and the factors affecting them. Similarities in demographics, birth rates and health systems create bases for discussion. The aim of this paper is to discuss psychosocial factors, policies and practices that impact on the breastfeeding practices of women with T1DM. Swedish research indicates that the overall breastfeeding rate in women with T1DM remains significantly lower than in women without diabetes in the first 2 and 6 months after childbirth with no differences in exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding initiation and continuation among women with T1DM in Sweden has been shown to be influenced by health services delivery, supportive breastfeeding policies and socio-economic factors, particular perceived support from social networks and health professionals. There is limited research on the impact of attitudes towards breastfeeding, emotional and social well-being and diabetes-related stress on the decision of women with T1DM to initiate and continue to breastfeed for at least 6 months. A more comprehensive understanding of the breastfeeding practices and psychosocial factors operating during the first 6 months after birth for women with T1DM will be instrumental in the future design of interventions promoting initiation and continuation of breastfeeding in Sweden, Australia and elsewhere.

‘Breast is not always best’: South Asian women's experiences of infant feeding in the UK within an acculturation framework

Acculturating to a host country has a negative impact on immigrant women's breastfeeding practices, particularly when coming from countries where breastfeeding rates are higher than Western countries. Whether this is true of those immigrating to the UK remains to be investigated. The study aimed to explore whether acculturating to the UK had detrimental effects on breastfeeding practices of South Asian women, and to provide explanations as to how acculturation may have exerted its influence. Twenty South Asian women completed semi-structured interviews exploring infant feeding experiences. Data were thematically analysed. A bidimensional measure assessed women's acculturation status. Women displaying low acculturation levels were aware of living in a formula-feeding culture but this had little influence on breastfeeding intentions/behaviours; drawing upon South Asian cultural teachings of the psychological benefits of breast milk. These women opted to formula-feed in response to their child's perceived demands or in a bid to resolve conflict; either when receiving information about the best feeding method or between their roles as a mother and daughter-in-law. Highly acculturated women also experienced such conflict; their awareness of the formula-feeding culture governed feeding choice. The findings provide a picture of how acculturation may affect South Asian women's breastfeeding intentions and behaviours; encouraging health service providers to meet the varying needs of an acculturating population. If breastfeeding is to be encouraged, it is necessary to understand factors influencing feeding choice; with particular attention to the acculturation pathways that may govern such decisions. This paper highlights ways to tailor information for South Asian women depending on levels of acculturation.

Availability of Lactation Counseling Services Influences Breastfeeding among Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units

To assess the association between the presence of international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) services at a delivery hospital and the breastfeeding practices of women whose infants required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Cross-sectional study using population-level data. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2132 infants admitted to the NICU. Breastfeeding at hospital discharge was measured with the question, "Is the infant being breastfed?" Delivery hospitals were dichotomized as to the presence or absence of an IBCLC on staff Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between breastfeeding at discharge and the presence of an IBCLC at the delivery facility while adjusting for maternal characteristics and birth outcomes. Among mothers of infants admitted to the NICU, breastfeeding rates among mothers who delivered at hospitals with an IBCLC were nearly 50% compared with 36.9% among mothers who delivered at hospitals without an IBCLC. The adjusted odds of breastfeeding initiation prior to hospital discharge were 1.34 (95% confidence interval = 1.03, 1.76) times higher for women who delivered at a facility with an IBCLC. To increase breastfeeding rates among the NICU population, these findings support the need for universal availability of IBCLCs at delivery facilities that have NICUs.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Men Towards Breastfeeding Women in Mongomo, Guinea Equatorial

The Study aims to evaluate how Men's Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) affect successful lactation and breastfeeding in Mongomo town and its environs. A prospective study of 262 randomly selected men using a semi-structured questionnaire was carried out between October-December 1997. Majority (93.13%) of the respondents had experienced nursing a baby previously with their spouses. This general awareness is further exemplified by 66.41% respondents who felt that breastfeeding should be continued for 1-2 years, exclusively for 4 months (70.23%) and on-demand (50%) irrespective of age, level of education and marital status. younger, married men with minimum of secondary education are more willing to allow their wives or live-in-lovers to exclusively breastfeed for 4 months, engage in sexual relationship with their spouses during lactation, permit the use of family planning services when compared with the older married men with little or no education (p The study recommends behavioural and attitudinal changes in men within the intrinsic cultural millieu in which the men operate which will guarranty successful lactation and breast feeding practices in women. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 45 No 4, 2004 (61-66)