Journal of Human Lactation最新文献

Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for both mothers and infants, particularly preterm infants, where it serves as a therapeutic strategy to reduce mortality and morbidities. However, breastfeeding practices are threatened globally by societal norms and systemic barriers at both micro and macro levels. This paper explores the complex interplay of these barriers and facilitators, focusing on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) setting. Preterm infants face specific feeding challenges due to immature physiological functions, yet evidence supports that strategies like cue-based feeding and individualized care can enhance feeding success and health outcomes. For mothers, initiating and maintaining lactation after preterm birth is critical but challenging, with early lactation support and achieving sufficient milk volume being key predictors of success. Partner support significantly influences lactation outcomes, although more inclusive research is needed for diverse family structures. In the NICU, a multidisciplinary approach to lactation care is vital, emphasizing the need for experienced staff and family-centered practices. NICU design, policies promoting parental presence, and adherence to Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative guidelines further support breastfeeding. This paper aims to provide directives for local breastfeeding policies through an integrated approach, considering societal attitudes and healthcare practices. The findings advocate for improved lactation support in NICUs, inclusive language and policies, and further research into diverse familial and gender roles in breastfeeding.

Background: The number of validated questionnaires that assess the level of breastfeeding competence of primary care professionals who attend lactating mothers is limited.

Research aim: To validate the CAPA (Competència en l'Atenció Primària sobre Alletament [Breastfeeding Competence in Primary Care]) questionnaire into Spanish in collaboration with professionals from the primary care services of the Comunidad de Madrid (Spain).

Methods: In this multicentric study, four bilingual healthcare professionals translated the CAPA questionnaire into Spanish and back-translated it into Catalan. The cross-cultural adaptation included a discussion by an expert committee, a review by a philologist, and a pilot study that involved 13 healthcare residents. We randomly selected professionals from specialties involved in breastfeeding. The re-test was conducted 3 weeks later, aiming to avoid changes in the studied population. We performed a factor analysis to identify underlying constructs and hypothesis-testing to assess the validity of the questionnaire and estimated the Cronbach Alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess its reliability.

Results: A total of 198 professionals participated by responding to the questionnaire. Factorial analysis showed that the questionnaire was unidimensional. Hypothesis testing showed that, of all the considered professional groups, midwives achieved the highest mean score (M = 131.7, SD = 10.9, p < 0.001). Amongst the other professionals, only 26.5% achieved a basic level of breastfeeding competence. The Cronbach alpha and ICC were 0.852 (95% CI [0.821, 0.880]) and 0.890 (95% CI [0.800. 0.937]).

Conclusions: The Spanish CAPA questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for assessing breastfeeding basic competence among primary care professional groups who attend lactating mothers.

Background: Psychosocial predictors of breastfeeding and changes in those factors during pregnancy, along with the relationship of those changes with both breastfeeding and smoke use and exposure, are not well explored.

Research aim: The aim of this study was to identify distinct trajectories of psychosocial determinants of breastfeeding and smoking in pregnant women.

Methods: We used a longitudinal study design and data from a randomized controlled trial conducted among smoke-exposed pregnant women and their infants. Participants were recruited early in pregnancy and were surveyed at ≤ 16 and 32 weeks gestation, delivery, 3 and 6 months postpartum for breastfeeding intentions, initiation, continuation, and smoke use and exposure. Psychosocial variables associated with breastfeeding were measured at baseline and 32 weeks gestation using the Mitra index, a structured questionnaire that assesses barriers and facilitators of breastfeeding intentions. Latent class growth analysis was performed using Mitra scores to identify distinct subgroups of participants with different trajectories. Sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding, and tobacco smoke use and exposure were compared across classes.

Results: Three or four trajectories were identified for each of the six Mitra scores. Trajectories for all Mitra scores were associated with breastfeeding intention and initiation. Overall, Mitra, knowledge, self-efficacy, social support, and time barrier classes all differed by tobacco smoke use or exposure.

Conclusion: Trajectories of breastfeeding knowledge, self-efficacy, social support, and time to breastfeed/social barriers are associated with tobacco smoke use and exposure during pregnancy. Encouragement to breastfeed and to cease and avoid tobacco smoke should start early in pregnancy, focusing on these determinants to improve health outcomes.

Background: Pasteurized donor human milk provides a safe and desirable alternative when a parent's own milk is insufficient or unavailable. Currently, the demand for donor human milk exceeds the available supply. Little is known about the beliefs breastfeeding individuals have about milk bank donation.

Research aims: The aims of this exploratory study were to (a) provide a preliminary estimate of how well intention can be predicted, and to suggest which of the global constructs of the Reasoned Action Approach has the most influence on intention; and (b) identify the salient, top-of-the-mind beliefs underlying the intention to donate some of the milk an individual is currently producing to a milk bank.

Methods: An exploratory, cross-sectional study design, based on the Reasoned Action Approach, was used to measure the theory's global constructs and elicit beliefs underlying the intention to donate milk of lactating individuals (N = 118) living in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky. Thematic and frequency analyses and multiple regression were performed.

Results: Quantitative analyses found that injunctive norm and the autonomy component of perceived behavioral control were independently associated with intention. Qualitative analyses identified the advantages (e.g., help and save babies, won't waste milk), referents who support (e.g., husband, family), and facilitators (e.g., having a convenient, close location, having more knowledge and information) of donating milk.

Conclusions: This research provides insight into how milk banks might recruit and retain donors. Additional quantitative research with a larger sample is necessary to confirm the preliminary findings of this study.