A cross-sectional comparison of breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and perceived partners' support among expectant couples in Mekelle, Ethiopia

Correlates of early breastfeeding cessation and breastmilk expression in Uganda: a case-control study

OBJECTIVE

To identify the correlates of early breastfeeding (BF) cessation and breastmilk expression (BE) among mothers 12 months after childbirth.

METHODS

We used a case-control study design to compare characteristics between mothers who stopped BF and expressed breastmilk 12 months after childbirth in Uganda. BF practices were determined in 12-month follow-up interviews using an adapted World Health Organization infant feeding questionnaire. Univariate and bivariate logistic regression models identified correlates of early BF cessation and BE as distinct but related outcomes.

RESULTS

The odds of early BF cessation were higher among mothers who expressed breastmilk irrespective of maternal age (adjusted odds ratio: 2.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.39, 5.68). Mothers who stopped BF and did not express breastmilk were more likely to be older than those who continued BF and did not express breastmilk during the first 12 postpartum months.

CONCLUSION

Mothers living with human immunodeficiency virus infection have disproportionately high odds of early BF cessation that may contribute to disparities in child health outcomes. Promotion of safe BF practices coupled with family and social support could be a viable preventive strategy for attenuating such disparities, especially among young mothers at risk of early BF cessation.

Validation of a Turkish version of the fathers' breastfeeding attitude and participation scale

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the validity, structure, and reliability of a Turkish version of the Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitude and Participation Scale. The Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitude and Participation Scale consists of two parts, namely, Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitude and Fathers' Participation in Breastfeeding Process. Totally, the scale consists of 28 items, of which 14 items belong to Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitude and 14 items belong to Fathers' Participation in Breastfeeding Process. There is no report of a validity and reliability study in the original scale. Currently, there is no validated and reliable scale to assess Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitudes and Involvement in Turkish literature and other languages. In this context, the psychometric properties of the Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitudes and Involvement Scale were examined.

METHODS

The instruments were translated and adapted according to the WHO guidelines.

RESULTS

The Turkish version of the Fathers' Breastfeeding Attitude and Participation Scale demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability.

CONCLUSION

The use of the validated instrument to examine fathers' breastfeeding attitudes and participation in the breastfeeding process will provide data to guide as it is a determinant of breastfeeding behavior.

The influence of breastfeeding attitudes on breastfeeding behavior of postpartum women and their spouses

Purpose

This study aimed to explore: (1) the influence of maternal sociodemographic factors on breastfeeding attitudes, (2) the relationship between breastfeeding attitudes of postpartum women and their spouses, (3) the predictors of breastfeeding behavior (mixed breastfeeding) at two months postpartum, and (4) to establish the reliability of the Chinese version of the paternal Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) in Taiwan.

Methods

A correlational and follow-up study design was used on a convenience sample of 215 women and 215 fathers recruited from a regional teaching hospital in central Taiwan from July 2020 to December 2020. The participants completed the IIFAS during postpartum hospitalization and a follow-up via telephone at 8 weeks postpartum for information on feeding methods and duration. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the predictors of breastfeeding duration.

Results

Maternal breastfeeding attitude scores ranged from 42 to 79, with a mean score of 59.78 (SD ± 6.68). Spouses' breastfeeding attitude scores ranged from 46 to 81, with a mean score of 59.60 (SD ± 6.93). Mother and spouse's IIFAS scores were highly correlated (r = 0.50, p < 0.001), and the scores of both parents were significantly associated with the duration of breastfeeding. With each increased point on maternal and paternal IIFAS scores, the odds of breastfeeding during the first 8 weeks increased 6% and 10%, respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first study to validate the IIFAS (Chinese version) with paternal participants in Taiwan. Identifying and understanding the infant feeding attitudes of mothers and their spouses should be an early step in designing and implementing breastfeeding interventions.

Co-design and implementation of a mHealth intervention targeting fathers and mothers to improve breastfeeding

BACKGROUND

Evidence has shown that SMS text message-based health education is effective in improving exclusive breastfeeding. However, there is limited evidence on the development and design of SMS messaging intervention targeting fathers and mothers.

METHOD

This is the formative assessment and intervention design for a larger trial targeting both fathers and mothers for breastfeeding support in Tigray, Ethiopia. A total of 42 parents of children less than 2 years of age were involved in the design process that also included nutrition experts. We recruited 128 expectant couples to the intervention (1-month antenatally) who continued for 3 months postnatally.

RESULTS

Sixteen messages were developed specific to feeding in the antenatal and postnatal periods. These messages were revised with parents and experts and pretested with parents. Over 4 months 87% of fathers and mothers received 3 or more SMS text messages. All fathers and 97% of mothers read the weekly SMS text messages. Almost 90% of mothers and fathers indicated their willingness to continue to receive SMS text messages related to infant feeding.

CONCLUSION

Development of SMS based breastfeeding interventions should involve the target population in content design. The role of experts and target population in the co-design process is also crucial.

Anxiety and its influence on maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy

Objective:

to identify the levels of anxiety and breastfeeding self-efficacy in puerperal women at the intervals of 60, 120, and 180 days postpartum; and to verify the influence of anxiety on breastfeeding self-efficacy among these puerperal women.

Method:

an analytical, longitudinal and prospective study, conducted with 186 puerperal women, and which used a sociodemographic and obstetric characterization questionnaire, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form. The analyses were performed by means of descriptive statistics, and Fisher’s Exact Test was used.

Results:

most of the puerperal women presented low levels of trait anxiety (55.4%) and of state anxiety (66.2% at 60 days, 72.8% at 120 days, and 75.5% at 180 days), and a high level of self-efficacy (77.3% at 60 days, 75.3% at 120 days, and 72.1% at 180 days of puerperium). Low levels of trait anxiety and state anxiety were associated with high self-efficacy at 60 days (p=0.0142 and p=0.0159, respectively).

Conclusion:

it is necessary to pay greater attention to the mental health of puerperal women, considering that those who presented low levels of anxiety had higher levels of self-efficacy, a situation that can result in longer exclusive breastfeeding.