Demographic Characteristics And Breastfeeding Confidence Of Mothers Who Choose To Exclusively Breastfeed And Combination Feed Their Infants Subjects were recruited from physicians' offices and public clinics in a metropolitan area (n=71). Fifteen (21%) of the subjects were planning to combination feed while 56 (79%) were planning to exclusively breastfeed. Subjects completed the Maternal Confidence Survey (O'Campo et al, 1992) and provided demographic information. A higher proportion of women planning to exclusively breastfeed were married (p=0.003), Caucasian (p=0.005), and educated beyond the high school level (p=0.04). Subjects in the exclusively breastfeeding group were significantly older (mean age = 26.7) than those in the combination feeding group (mean age = 22.8) (p=0.009). Confidence scores were significantly higher (mean score = 4.7) among women planning to exclusively breastfeed compared to women planning to combination feed (mean score = 4.3) (p=0.04). Results of this study suggest women who intend to combination feed are distinctly different from those who intend to exclusively breastfeed. Women planning to combination feed may benefit from prenatal intervention to enhance breastfeeding confidence. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

The national health promotion goals for increasing breastfeeding initiation rates to at least 75% of all mothers and six month breastfeeding continuation rates of at least 50% by the year 2000 do not seem to be obtainable. These goals require new insight into what motivates a new mother to continue to breastfeed. This study identified perceived social support and interpersonal dependency as potential factors associated to lactation duration, based upon the previous breastfeeding experience of the mother. Inexperienced breastfeeding mothers perceived more total support, task support and informational support than mothers with previous breastfeeding experience. This study did not correlate the amount of perceived support to lactation duration. An ancillary finding was that women providing a combination of breast milk and artificial baby milk feeds had a significantly higher lack of social self-confidence than mothers providing breastmilk exclusively. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

In this thesis, I examine the experiences of breastfeeding mothers who chose to give birth with Certified Professional Midwives at a free-standing birth center, and the factors that influence their known high rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration. Using grounded theory and data collected from participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and an open-ended survey, I describe the functioning of the birth center and the breastfeeding explanatory models of the birth center staff as well as how the birth center's model of care affects client-participant's experiences of breastfeeding in community that rejects medicalized models of birth and breastfeeding. Findings interpreted from a biocultural perspective reveal how women utilize previously constructed breastfeeding convictions to navigate support and difficulties in a way that allows 92% of client-participants to report overall happiness about their breastfeeding experiences. There was, however, a small subset of women who were disappointed in their breastfeeding experience. Recommendations include changes in care practice to further support breastfeeding women in this community. / Graduation date: 2013

African-American women are associated with having the lowest incidence of breast-feeding among ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes toward infant feeding, feeding intentions, and previous breast-feeding exposure among African-American women. Leininger's Culture Care theory provided the framework. A convenience sample of 98 gravid, adult African-American women receiving care at community health centers was administered a 42-item questionnaire on infant feeding attitudes, intentions, and exposure. Findings indicated that mothers choosing breast-feeding agreed more with the benefits of breast-feeding, and were likely to have previous breastfeeding exposure. Formula feeding mothers agreed more with inconveniences of breast-feeding and advantages of formula feeding, and were more likely not to have had previous exposure. These findings suggest that providing culturally congruent education on the benefits of breast-feeding, information on skills to overcome barriers, and positive breast-feeding exposures could positively effect the incidence of breast-feeding in the African-American population. / School of Nursing