Social Contexts of Infant Feeding and Infant Feeding Decisions.

Infant feeding takes place within a network of social relationships. However, the social context in which infant feeding advice is received remains underresearched. The objective of this study was to evaluate the social contexts of infant feeding by examining individual and relationship characteristics of mothers and network members associated with advice to exclusively breastfeed, exclusively formula feed, or use a combination of breast milk and formula. Information about 287 network members was reported by 80 low-income mothers during a one-time survey. Characteristics of relationships associated with mothers receiving advice (exclusively breastfeed/formula feed, combination feed) from each network member were identified using 2-level logistic regression analyses. Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to exclusively breastfeed from network members who help make feeding decisions (odds ratio [OR], 2.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-4.42), exclusively breastfed their own child or children (OR, 6.99; 95% CI, 2.96-16.51), and were health care providers (OR, 4.82; 95% CI, 1.70-13.67). Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to breastfeed in combination with formula from network members who provided emotional support (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.31-4.55), combination fed their own child or children (OR, 4.85; 95% CI, 1.80-13.05), and had an opinion that was important to the mother (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.13-6.33). Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to exclusively formula feed from network members who exclusively formula fed their own child or children (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.07-4.66) than those who did not. Social relationship characteristics and network members' infant feeding experiences may have implications for the advice new mothers receive. Future research should investigate social contexts of infant feeding longitudinally to inform interventions.

Schafer EJ ，Williams NA ，Digney S ，Hare ME ，Ashida S ... -  《-》

Healthcare professionals' and mothers' perceptions of factors that influence decisions to breastfeed or formula feed infants: a comparative study.

This article is a report of a study comparing healthcare professionals' and mothers' perceptions of factors that influence the decision to breastfeed or formula feed an infant. The World Health Organisation recommends that mothers should breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months of age and then continue to do so alongside complementary foods for the first 2 years and beyond. However, levels of breastfeeding in the United Kingdom are below the recommended targets. Low levels of actual or perceived professional support and understanding are associated with formula use. Twenty professionals working closely with mothers of young infants completed a semi-structured interview exploring the reasons they believed mothers chose to use formula milk. Twenty-three mothers with an infant aged 6-12 months also reflected on their experiences of milk feeding. The data were collected during 2007-2008. Professionals described a range of influences on maternal decisions to breastfeed or formula feed including lack of knowledge, support and help with difficulties. These were strongly echoed in the reasons mothers gave for formula use, suggesting clear professional understanding of the challenges relating to breastfeeding. Although keen to give further support, professionals raised issues of lack of time and resources to support mothers. Contrary to maternal beliefs of poor professional understanding, professionals had a clear perception of influences affecting early milk feeding choice. Further resources and recognition are needed for healthcare professionals working with new mothers to enable them to offer increased support, with the aim of increasing breastfeeding duration.

Brown A ，Raynor P ，Lee M 《-》

Internet Use by First-Time Mothers for Infant Feeding Support.

Optimal nutrition during infancy has benefits to individuals and to society. Australian women actively seek health and nutrition information from a wide variety of sources and have extensive access to the Internet, but its efficacy in supporting recommendation-consistent infant feeding is unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate sources of infant feeding information used by first-time mothers and to describe breast and formula feeding patterns 6 months post birth associated with successful use of the Internet for breastfeeding support. Healthy women between 18 and 40 years of age in their first pregnancy were recruited to the Feeding Queensland Babies Study by convenience sampling in Brisbane, Australia, between June 2010 and March 2011. Participants completed a questionnaire online when their infants were 6 months of age and a demographic questionnaire. Health care providers, books, general Internet searches, family, and friends were common sources of breastfeeding information for women during infants' first 6 months. Information sources for infant formula were less often accessed. Of mothers who sought breastfeeding assistance on the Internet, those who found it unhelpful had lower odds of giving breast milk at 6 months (odds ratio [OR] = 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1-0.5) and higher odds of giving formula (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.7-6.5) compared with those who found the help they needed, adjusted for age and socioeconomic status. Professional, print, and interpersonal information resources for infant feeding are widely accessed by mothers. Online breastfeeding information and support may help women to meet their breastfeeding intentions and to minimize formula use.

Newby R ，Brodribb W ，Ware RS ，Davies PS ... -  《-》

Perceived Infant Feeding Preferences of Significant Family Members and Mothers' Intentions to Exclusively Breastfeed.

Breastfeeding intention is a significant predictor of initiation and duration. The decision to breastfeed may be influenced by the opinions of family and friends. This study aimed to examine the relationship between maternal perception of the infant feeding preferences of the baby's father and the maternal grandmother and the woman's intention to breastfeed. This study analyzed data from the Infant Feeding Practices Survey II (2005-2007). The sample included 4690 women, of whom approximately 82% were white, 67% were married, 68% were multiparous, and 66% had some college education or beyond. In adjusted analyses, the odds of intending to exclusively breastfeed in the first few weeks postpartum were higher among mothers who perceived that the baby's father or the maternal grandmother preferred exclusive breastfeeding (vs preferred other feeding) (fathers: odds ratio [OR] = 7.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.20-8.92; maternal grandmothers: OR = 2.45; 95% CI, 2.01-2.99). Mothers in each of the racial/ethnic groups examined were more likely to intend to exclusively breastfeed in the first few weeks postpartum if they perceived that the expectant father preferred exclusive breastfeeding (vs preferred other feeding methods) (white: OR = 7.67; 95% CI, 6.25-9.41; black: OR = 11.76; 95% CI, 4.85-28.51; Hispanic: OR = 7.01; 95% CI, 3.44-14.28; other: OR = 7.51; 95% CI, 3.39-16.67). These results suggest that significant family members should be counseled on the benefits of breastfeeding and the risks of formula feeding along with pregnant mothers.

Mueffelmann RE ，Racine EF ，Warren-Findlow J ，Coffman MJ ... -  《-》

Association of breastfeeding with maternal control of infant feeding at age 1 year.

Taveras EM ，Scanlon KS ，Birch L ，Rifas-Shiman SL ，Rich-Edwards JW ，Gillman MW ... -  《-》