Roles, perceptions and control of infant feeding among low-income fathers

AbstractObjectiveIntroduction of solid foods before the recommended age of 4–6 months is a common practice in the USA, and appears to be especially prevalent among infants who are enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Currently, little is known about how fathers influence early infant feeding decisions, outside the decision to breast- or formula-feed. The purpose of the current study was to explore how fathers perceive the role they play in feeding and caring for their infants.DesignParticipants were twenty-one male caregivers, who were fathers or partners of the mothers of WIC income-eligible infants residing in two rural East Tennessee counties. In-depth, audio-taped telephone interviews were completed. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed according to standard grounded theory procedures to identify emergent concepts. These concepts were explored and linked together to become themes.ResultsThree themes emerged: (i) fathers’ roles; (ii) fathers’ perceptions; and (iii) control. Concepts within the theme of fathers’ roles included physical and emotional support for both mother and infant, validation of maternal decisions, and financial support. In the present study, fathers’ perceptions were primarily shaped by their own experiences, advice from those with experience, and information sought by the fathers. The theme of control appears to be the linkage between the fathers’ attempts to modify infant behaviour and infants’ response.ConclusionsA final conceptual model was created to explain the interrelated nature of the themes and may be helpful to those who work with fathers and/or families of new infants.

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Impact of Policy Changes on Infant Feeding Decisions Among Low-Income Women Participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

American Journal of Public Health ◽

10.2105/ajph.2012.300770 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 102 (12) ◽

pp. 2269-2273 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Shannon E. Whaley ◽

Maria Koleilat ◽

Mike Whaley ◽

Judy Gomez ◽

Karen Meehan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infant Feeding ◽

Low Income ◽

Infants And Children ◽

Policy Changes ◽

Supplemental Nutrition ◽

Nutrition Program ◽

Supplemental Nutrition Program ◽

Low Income Women ◽

Infant Feeding Decisions

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Infant feeding decisions and behaviours among low-income smoke-exposed women: timing and change during pregnancy

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980017001690 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (15) ◽

pp. 2796-2805 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Patricia Markham Risica ◽

Kristen McCausland

Keyword(s):

Infant Feeding ◽

Breast Feeding ◽

Low Income ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Adult Women ◽

Health Education Intervention ◽

Infant Feeding Decisions ◽

Breast Fed ◽

In Pregnancy

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to describe change in feeding intentions and predictors of breast-feeding intentions during the course of pregnancy.DesignAnalysis of prospectively collected data from a larger randomized controlled trial of a health education intervention to reduce environmental smoke exposure among women during and after pregnancy.SettingParticipants were recruited from prenatal clinics, but all further communication occurred with participating women living in the community.SubjectsLow-income, adult women (n399) were interviewed during the 16th and 32nd week of pregnancy to ascertain prenatal feeding intentions and breast-feeding knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy. Characteristics of women by infant feeding intention were assessed along with differences in intention from 16 to 32 weeks of pregnancy and feeding behaviours after delivery. Differences in psychosocial variables between women of different intention for infant feeding were measured. Women in each category of feeding intention were assessed for changes in psychosocial factors by eventual infant feeding behaviour.ResultsFeeding intention early in pregnancy was strongly, but not consistently, associated with feeding intention late in pregnancy, feeding initiation and later feeding patterns. Over one-third of women who were undecided at 16 weeks’ gestation or earlier initiated breast-feeding. Increases in knowledge and improvement in time, social factors and social support barriers were found among those who exclusively breast-fed.ConclusionsResults indicate that feeding decisions may change during pregnancy. Determining when women make feeding decisions during their pregnancy warrants more research. Interventions to increase breast-feeding intentions should target knowledge, self-efficacy and barriers.

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Social Contexts of Infant Feeding and Infant Feeding Decisions

Journal of Human Lactation ◽

10.1177/0890334415592850 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 132-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ellen J. Schafer ◽

Natalie A. Williams ◽

Siri Digney ◽

Marion E. Hare ◽

Sato Ashida

Keyword(s):

Infant Feeding ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Low Income ◽

Social Contexts ◽

Future Research ◽

Network Member ◽

Care Providers ◽

The Social ◽

Low Income Mothers ◽

Infant Feeding Decisions

Background: Infant feeding takes place within a network of social relationships. However, the social context in which infant feeding advice is received remains underresearched. Objective: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.

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A qualitative study of infant feeding decisions among low-income women in the Republic of Ireland

Midwifery ◽

10.1016/j.midw.2012.03.001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 453-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Emily Shortt ◽

Catherine McGorrian ◽

Cecily Kelleher

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Infant Feeding ◽

Low Income ◽

Republic Of Ireland ◽

Low Income Women ◽

The Republic ◽

Infant Feeding Decisions

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Competing infant feeding information in mothers’ networks: advice that supports v. undermines clinical recommendations

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980015002220 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (7) ◽

pp. 1200-1210 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sato Ashida ◽

Freda B Lynn ◽

Natalie A Williams ◽

Ellen J Schafer

Keyword(s):

Infant Feeding ◽

Breast Feeding ◽

Low Income ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Cultural Norms ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Clinical Recommendations ◽

Solid Foods ◽

Breast Feed

AbstractObjectiveTo identify the social contextual factors, specifically the presence of information that supports v. undermines clinical recommendations, associated with infant feeding behaviours among mothers in low-income areas.DesignCross-sectional survey evaluating social support networks and social relationships involved in providing care to the infant along with feeding beliefs and practices.SettingOut-patient paediatric and government-funded (Women, Infants, and Children) clinics in an urban, low-income area of the south-eastern USA.SubjectsEighty-one low-income mothers of infants between 0 and 12 months old.ResultsMost mothers reported receiving both supportive and undermining advice. The presence of breast-feeding advice that supports clinical recommendations was associated with two infant feeding practices that are considered beneficial to infant health: ever breast-feeding (OR=6·7; 95 % CI 1·2, 38·1) and not adding cereal in the infant’s bottle (OR=15·9; 95 % CI 1·1, 227·4). Advice that undermines clinical recommendations to breast-feed and advice about solid foods were not associated with these behaviours.ConclusionsEfforts to facilitate optimal infant feeding practices may focus on increasing information supportive of clinical recommendations while concentrating less on reducing the presence of undermining information within mothers’ networks. Cultural norms around breast-feeding may be stronger than the cultural norms around the introduction of solid foods in mothers’ social environments; thus, additional efforts to increase information regarding introduction of solid foods earlier in mothers’ infant care career may be beneficial.

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