This study examines the transition to marriage among low-income urban mothers and fathers who are unmarried and have a newborn baby together. The study contributes to an emerging body of research that explores the concept of obstacles to marriage by testing whether obstacles to marriage operate in the way that the descriptive literature has proposed: by standing in the way of loving and committed couples who might otherwise make a smooth transition to marriage. Using survival analysis techniques and data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, and introducing a new measure, the Headed to Marriage Index, the study tests the influence that three categories of determinants of marriage — relationship quality, investment in the relationship, and guiding values and beliefs — have on how long couples with a newborn remain unmarried to each other. It also determines whether and how the association between these determinants of marriage and time to marriage is affected by the presence of three obstacles to marriage: low education, poverty, and multiple partner fertility. Results show that the Headed to Marriage Index can be used to estimate hazard of marriage among these couples, and that as a predictor of marriage behavior, this simple index performs nearly as well as the individual components that it comprises. Results also show that low education, being in poverty, and having multiple partner fertility are formidable obstacles that might help to explain why some new parents never marry each other, even though they report wanting to. Finally, interaction terms using the Headed to Marriage Index and each of the three obstacles to marriage test the hypothesis that the extent to which these obstacles to marriage matter might differ depending a couple’s score on the Headed to Marriage Index. The results provided evidence that poverty is an obstacle to marriage for couples at all levels of the Headed to Marriage Index, but that its effect grows stronger as HMI score increases. Poverty is a significant barrier to marriage for those who are otherwise most prepared and oriented toward marriage. / text

Amning, amningskomplikationer, stöd och råd vid amning är en del av den sexuella och reproduktiva hälsan och ingår i barnmorskans kompetensområde.Det finns mycket forskning som beskriver nyblivna föräldrars upplevelse av amningsstöd men inte lika mycket forskning på hur vårdpersonalen upplever amningsstödet som ges till gravida och nyblivna föräldrar. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vårdpersonals upplevelser av amningsstöd till gravida och nyblivna föräldrar.Studien utfördes genom en kvalitativ metod utifrån en induktiv ansats. Data hämtades från intervjuer med semistrukturerade frågor i 11 fokusgrupper. All data bearbetades genom kvalitativ, induktiv innehållsanalys.Resultatet i studien visade att vårdpersonal upplever amningsstödet de ger som en viktig del i deras arbete. Amningsstödet hade brister och en betydande brist uppgavs vara kontinuiteten av amningsstöd genom hela vårdkedjan.Informanterna ansåg att amningsstödet borde förbättras och många förslag nämndes för att främja amningen hos nyblivna föräldrar och barn.Denna studie kan öka medvetenheten av den egna och kollegornas upplevelse av amningsstöd vilket kan leda till ett bättre samarbete mellan enheterna och en bättre kommunikation samt förändringar i organisationen som gynnar och främjar amningen. / Providing support and advice during lactation and breastfeeding complications are parts of the sexual and reproductive health.There are much research that describes new parents' experience of breastfeeding support, but not as much research that describes health professionals´ experiences of breastfeeding support that is given to pregnant and new parents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health professionals´ experiences of breastfeeding support to pregnant and new parents.The study was conducted through a qualitative method based on an inductive approach.Data was collected from interviews with semi- structured questions in 11 focus groups. All data were processed by qualitative and inductive content analysis.The results of the study showed that healthcare professionals are experiencing breastfeeding support as an important part of their work.Breastfeeding support had flaws and a significant deficiency was reported to be continuity of breastfeeding support throughout the continuum of care.The informants felt that breastfeeding support should be improved and many suggestions were mentioned to promote breastfeeding among new parents and children.This study may highlight work professionals knowledge about their own and co-worker’s experiences of breastfeeding support which could lead to better cooperation and communication between units to promote and support breastfeeding.