The seeking of baby-feeding information by Canadian women pregnant with twins

The breastfeeding experience of women with multiple pregnancies: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

The experiences and challenges associated with breastfeeding multiple births can be considerably more complex than those of singletons. Multiple births refer to the delivery of more than one offspring in a single birth event. Emphasizing the needs and experiences of mothers with multiple births during breastfeeding can enable healthcare providers to design targeted interventions that enhance breastfeeding rates. However, existing breastfeeding and health education resources and practices do not fully meet the needs of women who breastfeed multiples. This review aimed to review and synthesize qualitative studies on the breastfeeding experiences of women with multiple births.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in 10 electronic databases for papers published from the inception of the database to March 2024. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research was utilized to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies included. The thematic synthesis method of Thomas and Harden was employed to integrate and analyze the included literature to derive new categories and conclusions.

FINDINGS

Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and quality assessment criteria for this study. Through the integration of their results, four themes were identified: the choice and willingness to breastfeed multiple births; the challenges of breastfeeding multiple births; stage management and individualised adaptation of breastfeeding; and the experience of support.

CONCLUSION

Throughout the feeding process from pregnancy to the postpartum period, mothers with multiple births often have predominantly negative experiences with breastfeeding. Consequently, hospitals should create a multidisciplinary follow-up team comprising obstetrics, neonatology, psychology, and community services to offer specialized and personalized support to these women at various stages.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

[ https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ], identifier [PROSPERO 2024 CRD42024520348].

Visual analysis of information world maps: An exploration of four methods

Information researchers increasingly use participatory, arts-based methods to better understand the social contexts of individuals and populations. However, it remains rare to engage in qualitative analysis of the resulting visual artefacts. This article explores approaches to analysing visual media generated through a specific arts-based method, information world mapping (IWM), an interdisciplinary draw-and-talk technique that elicits data about individuals’ social information worlds. Here, we test four approaches to analysing visual media generated through IWM: directed qualitative content analysis (QCA), compositional interpretation, conceptual analysis and visual discourse analysis using situational analysis (SA). QCA was effective in creating an overview of participants’ information practices, yet raised concern regarding interpretive bias. Using an inductive taxonomy for compositional interpretation, we identified genre conventions for IWMs. Conceptual analysis resulted primarily in a reflection of the research procedures and epistemology. SA, while time-consuming, generated a large amount of rich data, including discourses and power relations that were not identified in previous analysis of textual data. In a reversal of our previous stance that cautioned against IWM analysis, we encourage other researchers to consider integrated or secondary visual analysis of IWMs.

Health information practices of young parents

Purpose

Despite societal investment in providing health information to young parents, little is known about the health information practices of young parents themselves. The purpose of this paper is to explore young parents’ health information practices in context.

Design/methodology/approach

This constructivist grounded theory study investigates the health information practices of young mothers and fathers (age 16-23) in Greater Vancouver, Canada. Data were collected over 16 months via individual interviews with 39 young parents (37 mothers, 2 fathers) and observations at young parent programs. Inductive analysis was iterative with data collection.

Findings

Young parent health information practices emerged, clustering around concepts of information seeking, assessment, and use, with sharing conceptualised as a form of use. Many young parents were sophisticated information seekers, and most were highly networked using mobile technology. While access to information was rarely a barrier, assessment of the large quantity of health-related information posed challenges.

Research limitations/implications

These findings are not generalisable to all populations. Newly identified information-seeking practices such as defensive and subversive seeking should be explored further in future research.

Practical implications

Rather than focusing on quantity of information, health and information professionals trying to reach young parents should focus on fostering information literacy skills and building relationships as trusted information providers.

Social implications

Young parent experiences of social marginalisation influenced their information practices and should be taken into consideration.

Originality/value

This first investigation of young parent information practices can guide services and resources for young parents, suggests that sharing might be conceptualised as a subset of use, and highlights new information-seeking practices by marginalised individuals, such as defensive and subversive seeking.

A descriptive qualitative review of the barriers relating to breast-feeding counselling

The purpose of this review was to describe barriers in breast-feeding counselling considering it from the viewpoint of health professionals. CINAHL, MEDLINE and Cochrane databases were searched from 1950 to 2008. In total, 40 scientific research articles in English, Swedish or Finnish related to breast-feeding counselling were included and analysed using thematic analysis. The quality of the studies was also assessed. The main barriers were deficits in knowledge, resources, counselling skills and the counsellor's negative attitude. Conflicting advice, lack of guidelines, sufficiency of counselling and perceiving of the personal education needs were examples of the indicated barriers. The most commonly described barriers in breast-feeding counselling were limitations in breast-feeding knowledge. Developing of the measurements to assess the barriers in breast-feeding counselling is needed.

Breast-feeding rates and related maternal and infants' obstetric factors in Japanese twins

OBJECTIVES

The aims of the present study are to describe the secular trend of breast-feeding rates in Japanese twins in comparison with the general population, and then to clarify the maternal and infants' obstetric factors associated with breast-feeding in twins.

METHODS

Breast-feeding rates from 0 to 6 full months and related maternal and infant obstetric factors were analyzed using 4,023 Japanese twins, consisting of two different volunteer-based twin samples, age 1-15 years, whose birth year ranged from 1968 to 2003. Data were collected through mailed or hand-delivered questionnaires. Obstetric factors that affect full and partial breast-feeding of twins were confirmed using logistic analyses according to birth order in twin pairs, adjusted by birth year.

RESULTS

The full breast-feeding rates of twins were lower than those of the general population. On the other hand, the combined rates of full and partial breast-feeding were close to those of general population, except for the period 1968-1974. The percentage of concordance pares was around 95% for all months. The most influential factor that negatively correlated with breast-feeding from 0 to 6 months was gestational weeks. Higher maternal age at twin birth and the use of an incubator also prevented breast-feeding in the neonatal period.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study for the first time indicated that full breast-feeding of twins has risen recently in Japan, although the rates are still lower than those of the general population. The importance of the gestational weeks for breast-feeding rates was also shown.