Infant feeding practices of teenage mothers attending a well-baby clinic in a public hospital in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Breastfeeding challenges among adolescent mothers: a phenomenological study at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana

BACKGROUND

The natural and best approach to give newborns the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development is through breast feeding. Breastfeeding rates fall more sharply with time for mothers under the age of 20 years.

AIM

This study sought to explore the challenges experienced by adolescent mothers who visit the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

METHOD

This study employed a qualitative phenomenology design and collected data from adolescent mothers. Data were gathered with the aid of a semistructured in-depth interview guide from 13 breastfeeding adolescent mothers. Data for the study were analysed using content analysis. The study was conducted at the obstetrics and gynaecology department of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.

FINDINGS

Two major themes were generated from the study to be the challenges that confront adolescent breastfeeding mothers, and they are maternal factors of breastfeeding barriers and societal factors of breastfeeding barriers. Subcategories were generated for both themes during the process.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Training of pregnant adolescents during antenatal care visits on how to manage the inability to lactate, breastfeeding stress, painful and sore nipple, engorged breast, stigma from society will lessen their burden. Furthermore, training close family members and friends on how to be kind and support adolescent mothers during breast feeding is important. In-service training should be organised for health workers to enhance their knowledge and practice of approaching and guiding adolescent mothers on effective breast feeding and the provision of cubicles in public places where adolescent mothers can comfortably breastfeed.

Investigating the Effect of Supportive Interventions on Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding, and Continuation of Breastfeeding in Adolescent Mothers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: The initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and its duration for 2 years in adolescent mothers is less than adult mothers. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of supportive interventions on the initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and continuation of breastfeeding in adolescent mothers. Methods: Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ProQuest, SID, Iranmedex, and Google Scholar were searched to find English and Persian clinical trial studies without time limit. The Cochrane checklist was used to check the bias of the articles. Data analysis was done using STATA version 11. I-squared index was used to check the heterogeneity, and funnel plot and Begg test were used to examine the publication bias. The combined odds ratio (OR) and random effects model were used to combine the studies and perform meta-analysis. Results: Of 492 articles, 11 articles were entered to the systematic review. Of 11 articles, three articles were entered to the meta-analysis. The supportive interventions included educational and counseling interventions, home visit, and peer support. The results of the present random effects meta-analysis model showed that the combined OR was 3.38 with 95% confidence interval (1.66-6.88, p = 0.001), thus that, breastfeeding initiation in the intervention group was higher than the control group. Conclusion: Supportive interventions such as educational and counseling interventions, home visits, and peer support are suitable strategies to promote breastfeeding in adolescent mothers. Therefore, it is suggested to integrate these strategies in prenatal and postpartum care of adolescent mothers.

A Qualitative Systematic Review of Family Support for a Successful Breastfeeding Experience among Adolescent Mothers

BACKGROUND: Family support for adolescent mothers is vital in making breastfeeding decisions and sustaining the feeding since many of these women struggle with identity crises. Therefore, it is essential to synthesize qualitative evidence about the types of family support provided to these young women. AIM: This study aims to identify, synthesize, and recognize the qualitative evidence of family support for successful breastfeeding among teen mothers. METHODS: A systematic review of qualitative studies was identified in six electronic databases published from 2000 to 2020. The quality of the reviewed studies was checked using The Critical Appraisal Skills Programs. The data were extracted by two investigators and analyzed using thematic analysis with three steps: coding the text line-by-line, developing the descriptive themes, and generating the analytical themes. RESULTS: This review includes eight eligible studies. The review founds that family significantly affect the success of breastfeeding practices among adolescent mothers through their appraisal, instrumental, emotional, and informational support. The family strengthens the adolescence’s breastfeeding decisions and confidence, provide financial assistance, share positive breastfeeding information and experience, encourage them to continue the feeding and motivate theme to pursue their study. CONCLUSION: Breastfeeding a baby and becoming a mother at a young age is not an easy process and need family support for a successful feeding. Health care professionals should actively involve the family in supporting adolescent mothers to breastfeed their babies optimally.

"The kind of support that matters to exclusive breastfeeding" a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, only 41 % of infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months while South Africa has an alarming figure of only 12 %. First-time mothers are inexperienced in the initiation and maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding, hence a need for support. Data on forms and quality of exclusive breastfeeding support as experienced by first-time mothers is minimal. The study explored the exclusive breastfeeding support available to first-time mothers in the Buffalo City Metro, South Africa.

METHODS

A qualitative explorative, descriptive and contextual study, and a non-probability, purposive sampling was used with 10 first-time mothers within the first six months postpartum. The in-depth face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews for data collection and Creswell's steps of thematic analysis were used.

RESULTS

Two themes emerged; challenges, empowerment, support and resilience during initiation of exclusive breastfeeding, and diverse support and resilience during maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding. First-time mothers received practical support majorly from nurses and other mothers during the initiation; social support was from family members, friends, and community members for the maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding. Sometimes there was a disjuncture between practical support from nurses and that from family members and the community. There were instances where the support was needed but not given or not supportive of exclusive breastfeeding.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings illustrate that professional, practical and social support for first-time mothers is crucial in the initiation and maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Timing and the kind of support given to these mothers is crucial for successful exclusive breastfeeding.

Factors Affecting the Decision of Postnatal Mothers to Donate Milk at a Government Satellite Human Milk Bank Site, in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

BACKGROUND

The need for donor human milk has accelerated both locally and globally. To remain sustainable, human milk banks need to maintain effective recruitment including frequent donations of adequate volumes.

RESEARCH AIMS

To determine (1) which factors influenced mothers' willingness to give or receive donor human milk, and the influence of (2) socio-demographics, (3) pregnancy, (4) breastfeeding history, (5) prior knowledge of human milk banks, and (6) general factors on milk donations.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used (N = 148). Independent sample t-tests and one-sample t-tests were used to determining differences in variables.

RESULTS

The sample population consisted of mainly single (n = 104, 70.3%) Black African mothers (n = 127, 85.8%) who identified as Christian (n = 97, 65.6%) with a mean age of 24.8 (SD = 5.63) years. The majority (n = 120, 81.1%) had no prior knowledge of human milk banks; however, most (n = 78, 52.7%) were significantly likely to donate. The main factors that influenced the participants' willingness to donate were altruism (n = 99, 66.9%), information provided by staff at hospitals/clinics (n = 92, 62.2%), amount of milk produced (n = 69, 46.4%), fear of not having enough milk for their own infant (n = 68, 45.9%), and support from family/friends/partner (n = 67, 45.3%).

CONCLUSION

There is a strong need to increase visibility and information sharing with potential donor mothers to ensure a sustainable supply and system of human milk banks.

Social networking sites: Can midwives and nurses working with adolescent mothers harness their potential value?

AIM

This paper aims to discuss social networking sites as potentially salutogenic, culturally relevant extensions to maternity care provision for adolescent mothers.

BACKGROUND

Studies report that online networking may enhance social capital, a concept linked to enhanced well-being, particularly for marginalized individuals. Improving outcomes for adolescent mothers is an ongoing global strategy; thus, this paper has relevance for all professionals involved in their care.

DESIGN

This is a discussion paper.

DATA SOURCES

This paper draws on the authors' research and is supported by literature and theory. Key terms and Boolean operators were used to identifiy English-language papers published in January 1995 to January 2019 in nine databases and Google Scholar databases.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Despite limited evidence specific to adolescent mothers, contextual studies suggest that social networking sites may enhance well-being. Nurses and midwives need to understand adolescent mothers' use of online networks to aid development of innovative, health-enhancing care strategies using adolescent-familiar modalities.

CONCLUSION

This paper highlights the need for further research regarding the value of professional engagement in online networks to enhance an adolescent's transition to motherhood.

Exclusive breastfeeding policy, practice and influences in South Africa, 1980 to 2018: A mixed-methods systematic review

BACKGROUND

In 2011, South Africa committed to promoting exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for six months for all mothers, regardless of HIV status, in line with World Health Organization recommendations. This was a marked shift from earlier policies, and with it, average EBF rates increased from less than 10% in 2011 to 32% by 2016.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this mixed-methods systematic review was to describe EBF practices in South Africa and their multi-level influences over four policy periods.

METHODS

We applied PRISMA guidelines according to a published protocol (Prospero: CRD42014010512). We searched seven databases [Africa-Wide, PubMed, Popline, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Global Health, and The Cochrane Library] and conducted hand searches for eligible articles (all study designs, conducted in South Africa and published between 1980-2018). The quality of articles was assessed using published tools, as appropriate. Separate policy analysis was conducted to delineate four distinct policy periods. We compared EBF rates by these periods. Then, applying a three-level ecological framework, we analysed EBF influences concurrently by method. Finally, the findings were synthesized to compare breastfeeding influences by policy period, maintaining an ecological framework.

RESULTS

From an initial sample of 20,226 articles, 72 unique articles were reviewed, three of which contributed to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Despite the large sample, several provinces were poorly represented (if at all) and many studies were assessed as low to moderate quality. Despite these limitations, our historical lens enabled us to explore why South African progress on increasing EBF practices has been slow. The review reflects a context that increasingly supports EBF, but falls short in accounting for family, community, and workplace influences. The findings also highlight the unintended damage caused by rapidly adopting and introducing global guidelines to an unsupported health workforce.

CONCLUSIONS

From a South African perspective, we identified geographic and methodological biases, as well as gaps in our understanding and potential explanations of inequities in EBF. Our recommendations relate to policy, programming, and research to inform changes that would be required to further improve EBF practice rates in South Africa. While our review is South Africa-specific, our findings have broader implications for investing in multi-level interventions and limiting how often infant feeding guidelines are changed.

Secondary school teachers' experiences related to learner teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school

Background

The incidence of learner teenage pregnancies can be reduced, provided that the major stakeholders, which include the Department of Education and the Department of Health, combine to address this issue. Despite the implementation of Life Orientation as a school subject, which focuses on sexual behaviour, health, decision-making, pregnancy risk, sexually transmitted infections and HIV and AIDS, the prevalence of learner teenage pregnancies at secondary schools remains alarmingly high.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe teachers' experiences of learner teenage pregnancies in secondary schools in a province in South Africa.

Setting

Secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.

Method

A qualitative approach with exploratory, descriptive and contextual strategies was used in this research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers who had been selected through purposive sampling. Tesch's steps of systematic open coding were used to analyse all of the interviews.

Results

The results that emerged during the data analysis indicate that firstly, teachers' experiences of having pregnant learners in their classrooms are negative as these learners are frequently absent from school, perform badly and drop out of school. Secondly, teachers' experiences related to unexpected deliveries are coloured by their lack of the necessary skills and competencies to deal and their resultant insecurity. Thirdly, the teachers feel that they do not receive the assistance they need to deal with teenage pregnancies as well as unexpected deliveries.

Conclusions

Collaboration between and continuous support from the Department of Health and the Department of Education are crucial if teenage pregnancies at secondary schools are to be handled with greater success. Support from health care personnel should include guidance on contraception and health campaigns should target both the teachers and secondary school learners. Furthermore, coping strategies for the teachers should form part of the preservice curriculum of teachers.