Mothers of preterm infants’ experiences of breastfeeding support in the first 12 months after birth: A qualitative study

A qualitative study which has Symbolic Interactionism as theoretical framework and Interpretative Interactionism as its methodological one, aiming to unveil motherly experiences against prematurity peculiarities that hinder breastfeeding during infant's hospitalization at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Were interviewed 13 mothers of preterm infants assisted at an Outpatient Follow-up Clinic of Montes Claros MG, Brazil. Results show that as trying to breastfeed a premature infant, the mother interacts with situations signified by her as obstacles to breastfeeding: the "torment" of their child's hospitalization and clinical instability, the fear of baby's death, its difficulty to suck, the late start of breastfeeding interpreted a something difficult, as a risk to weight. We consider that although breastfeeding a preterm infant is a challenge, appropriate professional conducts and hospital procedures might facilitate it and therefore should be implemented, aiming at promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding.

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Self-efficacy in Breastfeeding Predicts How Mothers Perceive Their Preterm Infant’s State-Regulation

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1174477/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andreas Karlsson Rosenblad ◽

Eva-Lotta Funkquist

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Longitudinal Design ◽

State Regulation ◽

Breastfeeding Support ◽

Good State ◽

Mothers Of Preterm Infants ◽

Breastfeeding Rates

Abstract Background: Mothers of preterm infants often perceive the infant as having problems with crying, sleeping and feeding, sometimes summarised as ‘state-regulation’. Breastfeeding rates are lower among preterm infants, and the mother’s self-efficacy in breastfeeding is central to understanding which mothers are going to breastfeed their infants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the late preterm infant’s mother’s self-efficacy in breastfeeding was associated with how the mother experienced her infant’s state-regulation at three months of corrected age.Methods: The study had a prospective and longitudinal design with a consecutive data collection through questionnaires. Results: The analyses showed that being an older mother, perceiving breastfeeding support, and having a higher breastfeeding self-efficacy were all significantly associated with identifying the infant as having better state-regulation. Conclusion: There was an association between mothers’ self-efficacy in breastfeeding and her perceptions of how good state-regulation the infant had. This is an important finding, as self-efficacy is a manageable factor that could positively affect how the mother perceives taking care of her infant.Clinical implication: Health care professionals should target mother’s self-efficacy in breastfeeding to improve mother-infant relationship.

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