The purpose of this article is to present a review of literature regarding factors that influence breastfeeding intentions, initiation, and duration in the African American population. Research related to health disparities experienced by African Americans in the United States, as well as research regarding the protective benefits of breastfeeding for those specific health disparities, are also presented. Community and institutional interventions and promotional campaigns aimed at increasing initiation and duration of breastfeeding in the African American population are discussed. Future research regarding African American women's breastfeeding experiences using Black feminist thought as a theoretical foundation is recommended.

The low rate of breastfeeding among African American women in the United States is a poorly understood, persistent disparity. Our purpose in this study was to gain an understanding of how African American women experience breastfeeding in the context of their day-to-day lives. The Sequential-Consensual Qualitative Design (SCQD), a 3-stage qualitative methodology aimed at exploring the cultural, personal, and political context of phenomena, was used to explore the experiences of African American women who felt successful with breastfeeding. An integration of qualitative content analysis and Black feminist theory was used to analyze the data. Themes that emerged from Stage-2 data analysis included self-determination, spirituality and breastfeeding, and empowerment. In Stage 3 of the study, participant recommendations regarding breastfeeding promotion and support initiatives for African American breastfeeding were categorized into three themes, including engaging spheres of influence, sparking breastfeeding activism, and addressing images of the sexual breast vs. the nurturing breast.

Background: To effectively practice true family-centered care (FCC) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting, a nurse needs to understand the perceptions and concerns of all fathers. Although research is emerging on fathers' perceptions and experiences, the samples of fathers represented are not from diverse socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic populations, which limit the findings' generalizability. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the needs of NICU fathers and whether these needs differed based on sociodemographic factors. Methods: A quantitative, comparative, descriptive design was used to determine the needs of NICU fathers. Additional analysis was conducted to determine whether the needs differed based on education, income, and gestational age, whether the father preferred speaking English or Spanish, and whether these sociodemographic factors could predict needs. To determine sociodemographic factors and needs, a demographic questionnaire and the NICU Family Needs Inventory were administered to 99 fathers in 6 level III NICUs. Results: Data were analyzed using independent sample t test, 1-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression. The results showed that fathers reported a broad span of needs and fathers from disadvantaged populations may have greater needs in certain areas. Implications for Practice: These results emphasize the importance of the nurses' role in assessing the needs of NICU fathers. By understanding fathers' needs, nurses can provide individualized FCC to fathers to help them be more involved in the care and support of their infant. Implications for Research: Further research is needed to support these findings and test interventions that promote communication between providers and fathers.

This study's purpose was to evaluate an intervention to facilitate grandmothers' knowledge and support of breastfeeding. A pilot study with a quasi-experimental two-group posttest design was used to evaluate whether the intervention made a difference in grandmothers' knowledge, attitudes, and intent to recommend breastfeeding. The 26 grandmothers in the intervention group attended A Grandmothers' Tea program; the 23 grandmothers in the control group received written information. The intervention group had greater posttest knowledge scores than the control group but had no significant differences in attitudes or intent. However, a significant difference was evident between the attitude scores of grandmothers who breastfed their infants and of grandmothers who did not breastfeed their infants regardless of receiving the intervention.