Experiences of infant‐feeding decision‐making among urban economically disadvantaged pregnant adolescents

Abstract

Consistent with the Theory of Planned Behaviour and other research, attitudes, perceived social influences, and perceived control factors were influential to adolescents when choosing infant feeding methods. The findings suggest that adolescents need education on decision-making, and are being used to fine-tune the interventions of a randomized clinical trial to investigate promoting and supporting breastfeeding among adolescent mothers.

The Experience and Determinants of First-Time Breast-Feeding Duration among Low-Income Women from São Paulo, Brazil

“…Previous discussions of ambivalence regarding breast-feeding have focused on ambivalence due to societal norms and other external pressures (Kaufman, Deenadayalan, and Karpati 2010;Wambach and Koehn 2004). However, the experientially based ethnographic data collected from this group of Brazilian women suggest that resistance to unplanned motherhood and to the physicality of breast-feeding may be a central determinant of their infant-feeding decisions.…”

‘But is it a normal thing?’ Teenage mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding promotion and support

“…Giles et al 21 showed that young people have limited exposure to breastfeeding, are unclear about the benefits of breastfeeding and find breastfeeding in public embarrassing. Knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding increases in pregancy 10,11 but breastfeeding in public continues to be viewed highly negatively 9,22--24 . It appears easier to educate mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding than to alter perceptions of the public acceptability of breastfeeding.…”

“…There are defined limits on the generalisability of findings from qualitative studies 19 In the UK teenage mothers are among the least likely to breastfeed 1 . Studies have been carried out into the reasons why those from disadvantaged groups do not initiate and continue breastfeeding, many of which are linked to the theory of planned behaviour 10,11,20 . Such studies conclude that family influences and concerns about breastfeeding in public significantly influence infant feeding behaviour 20 and that breastfeeding can be seen as a 'morally inappropriate' behaviour by teenagers 11 .…”

“…Inequalities in breastfeeding have been the subject of health professional and governmental concern, leading to policy measures directed at raising breastfeeding rates among disadvantaged groups such as teenage mothers 7,8 . Recent research has focused on young mothers' experiences of breastfeeding 9 and the reasons why teenagers choose to breast or bottle feed 10,11 . Studies have found that young mothers are often well informed about the health benefits of breastfeeding 10,12 but other factors, such as dominant social norms and embarrassment about feeding in public, are influential in leading teenage mothers' to formula feed 11 .…”

Disempowered, passive and isolated: how teenage mothers' postnatal inpatient experiences in the UK impact on the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding

“…Questionnaire studies of pregnant and mothering teenagers in the US and UK have established that they know that breastfeeding is best for their babies' health and promotes bonding, and that more young mothers intend to breastfeed than actually start (Shaw et al 2003, Wambach and Koehn 2004, Hunter 2008, Mossman et al 2008. It is likely that young women's experiences in the early postnatal period impact on their feeding decisions.…”