New Mothers' Perceptions of Pressure to Breastfeed.

Develop a measure to quantitatively assess perceived pressure to breastfeed and examine associations between perceived pressure, emotional distress, and the breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy among women with 2- to 6-month-old infants. A cross-sectional study using an online survey to assess perceived pressure to breastfeed, emotional distress, and the breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy was conducted. Participants were recruited through ResearchMatch, a national online service that matches potential participants to research studies, and online community forums (e.g., Facebook). Women (n = 187) reported themselves and society as the greatest sources of pressure. Pressure to breastfeed was negatively associated with the breastfeeding experience (r = -.34, p < .01) and self-efficacy (r = -.39, p < .01), but not emotional distress. Pressure to breastfeed remained a significant explanatory factor, even when considering demographic covariates, with the final models accounting for 16% and 20% of the variance in the breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy, respectively. Perceived pressure to breastfeed may be an important psychosocial factor to consider when aiming to improve women's breastfeeding experiences. Reducing perceived pressure may be beneficial for promoting breastfeeding outcomes. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Citation

Christina X Korth, Sarah A Keim, Canice E Crerand, Jamie L Jackson. New Mothers' Perceptions of Pressure to Breastfeed. MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing. 2022 May-Jun 01;47(3):160-167

Mesh Tags

PMID: 35475926

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