Online breast-feeding support groups as a community asset in Lebanon after Beirut explosion

Abstract

Objective: Breastfeeding rates are unsatisfactory in Lebanon. Social media groups could play an important role in promoting breastfeeding in normal conditions and post crisis. The aim of this study is to identify breastfeeding challenges, facilitators and assets, and to describe how community assets via social media could build community resilience to pandemic’s and disaster’s effects. Design: A two phases qualitative content analysis was performed on posts and comments collected from a Facebook breastfeeding support group. Data was categorized into themes, categories and subcategories. Setting: Posts and comments retrieved from a Facebook breastfeeding support Group in Lebanon, during the month of August 2020. Participants: Group members: mothers who breastfed, breastfeeding mothers and group admins that are lactation consultants, are the ones writing collected posts and comments. Results: In phase one, breastfeeding “Challenges” identified were lack of support from peers and family, lack of supportive policies, lack of knowledge and maternal stress related to political instability, COVID-19, and economic crisis. “Assets and facilitators” included community support and donations. In phase two, analysis revealed how assets were being used on social media platform to build community resilience post crisis, through access to social support in challenging times, community engagement, material resources and transformative potential Conclusion: Challenges faced during breastfeeding were diminished due to the support and assets received on a Facebook breastfeeding support group, and social media has been shown to be an important community asset implicated in empowering women to breastfeed, and to build community resilience in moments of crisis.

Breastfeeding, Chestfeeding, and Lactating Parents’ Experiences With Online Support Groups: An Integrative Review

“…Of the 10 included articles, 8 were qualitative, 12,13,15,[18][19][20][21] one was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), 14 and one was mixed methods. 22 One item was a poster abstract from a publication from The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine th Annual International Meeting, describing the content analysis of an ongoing survey to assess the impact of a Facebook group for BCL physicians in the UK and Ireland.…”

“…Articles were published between 2015 and 2022. Nine articles were a level VI (evidence from a single descriptive or qualitative study) in the Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt framework, 6,[11][12][13][18][19][20][21][22] and one was a level II (evidence from at least one RCT). 14 The BCL support groups in 8 studies were hosted on Facebook, either exclusively or in addition to other online or appbased social media platforms.…”

“…14 The BCL support groups in 8 studies were hosted on Facebook, either exclusively or in addition to other online or appbased social media platforms. 6,11,13,14,[18][19][20]22 The groups in the remaining 2 studies were hosted in an app 21 or unspecified social media groups. 12 The groups in 6 studies were moderated by professionals (lactation consultants, midwives, or the research team) or trained peer supporters.…”

“…12 The groups in 6 studies were moderated by professionals (lactation consultants, midwives, or the research team) or trained peer supporters. 6,13,14,[20][21][22] The groups in 3 studies were moderated by peers only, including the article from Powell et al in which all of the peers were physcians. 18,12,19 One study did not specify moderation type.…”

“…13,18,22 They viewed meeting online with others who shared the same values and experiences as a replacement for real world support. 20 Some participants did not have family and friends who supported them in their specific BCL plan 22 whereas others felt belittled by HCPs for their choice to exclusively express human milk 18 or BCL for an extended duration. 12 Still other participants received conflicting advice from nurses in the hospital, which was particularly concerning because the parents were learning to feed their preterm infants.…”