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Amning och vårdkvalitet
University of Skövde, School of Life Sciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2261-0112
2005 (Swedish)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)Alternative title
Breastfeeding and quality of care (English)
Abstract [en]

The over all objectives of this thesis was to map factors of importance for breastfeeding such as maternal background factors, maternal perception of breastfeeding support, confidence, caring routines, breastfeeding attitudes of health care professionals, and to investigate whether a training intervention within the care team of

the antenatal (ANC) and child health centres (CHC) would improve maternal perception of support and strengthen maternal feelings for the baby.

Material and method: A questionnaire was sent to mothers when their babies were 9-12 months old (n=540). The questionnaire embraced questions regarding maternal background, caring routines, perception of support and duration of breastfeeding (I-II). Thereafter an attitudinal instrument was developed to measure breastfeeding attitudes in health care professionals (n=168). Four attitude dimensions were identified by factor analysis (III). Ten municipalities in a county of south west Sweden was paired and randomized to intervention or control (IV). Thus, all midwives and postnatal nurses working at the ANC or CHC in a randomised municipality were asked to participate in the study (n=81). Health professionals in the intervention group had a process-oriented training in breastfeeding counselling including planned continuity in family education and development of a common breastfeeding policy within the caring team. Changes in attitude were measured by the instrument developed in study III. For study V, mothers were recruited from the maternity and were allocated to intervention- or control group according to the randomization of municipalities in study IV (n=565). Questionnaires were sent out at three days, 3 and 9 months post partum to investigate how the care and counselling skills acquired by the health care professionals would be reflected in maternal perception of breastfeeding support and maternal feelings for and relation to the baby.

Results: Early initiation of suckling, late discharge from hospital (more than 72 hours) and perceived good support contributed positively to the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Supplementation the first days after birth for other than medical reasons shortened the duration of breastfeeding. For primiparas, the partner’s presence after childbirth contributed positively to the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Multiparas who were aware of their mothers breastfeeding history had a longer breastfeeding period than those who did not know of their mother’s breastfeeding history. Mothers were more satisfied with the breastfeeding information they had received at maternity than the breastfeeding information they got from the ANC and CHC (I-II). This induced the idea to develop an attitude instrument and start a training intervention for the care team at ANC and CHC. The attitudinal dimensions identified by the factor analysis were: The regulating factor comprising statements scheduling breastfeeding; the facilitating factor comprising statements showing confidence in the ability of the mother-infant dyad to breastfeed on their own; the disempowering factor comprising statements that objectified the woman and ascribed her no ability to breastfeed without guidance of the health care professional and the breastfeeding antipathy factor comprising statements that showed unwillingness and failing knowledge about breastfeeding (III). After training the health care professionals became less regulating and more facilitating (IV). Family classes provided the intervention mothers with better breastfeeding information, more knowledge about their social rights, the needs of the baby and a stronger social network than the control mothers (V). The postnatal nurse gave a better over all support, was a better listener, showed more understanding and provided the mother with better information about breastfeeding and the needs of the baby. Mothers in the intervention group reported that they interacted more with their baby. They had also more positive views on their baby and felt more confident and close with the baby than mothers in the control groups (V).

Conclusion: This study showed that it is important to adopt caring routines, which will facilitate breastfeeding. The health care professional needs to find out the background of the mother to be able to provide her with adequate breastfeeding counselling. Caring routines should include early suckling. Supplementation of the baby the first week after birth should only be given on medical grounds. This study showed that a processoriented training in breastfeeding counselling alters attitudes of health care professionals in a positive way. The trained health care professionals organized continuity of family classes and developed a common breastfeeding policy and were more supportive in their encounters with the mothers. These behaviors strengthen the mother’s feelings for her baby and brought about a richer interaction with her baby. A model to provide continuity of family classes, conducted by trained antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses should thus be practiced within the caring team around first time parents.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Karolinska Institutet , 2005. , p. 44
National Category
Nursing
Research subject
Medical sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:his:diva-1569ISBN: 91-7140-240-3 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:his-1569DiVA, id: diva2:31845
Public defence
(English)
Supervisors
Available from: 2007-07-20 Created: 2007-07-20 Last updated: 2017-11-27
List of papers
1. Breastfeeding attitudes among counselling health professionals: Development of an instrument to describe breastfeeding attitudes
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Breastfeeding attitudes among counselling health professionals: Development of an instrument to describe breastfeeding attitudes
2005 (English)In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, ISSN 1403-4948, E-ISSN 1651-1905, Vol. 33, no 5, p. 353-359Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Aim: The aim of the study was to develop an instrument that can be used for accurate assessment of nurses' and midwives' attitudes toward breastfeeding in a group of midwives, maternity-nursing staff and postnatal nurses experienced in breastfeeding counselling. Method: An instrument based on WHO standards was developed to measure breastfeeding attitudes. In all, 168 healthcare professionals filled in the instrument. A factor analysis using maximum likelihood and varimax rotation was performed. Spearman's correlation was used to correlate factorial dimensions and self-described interest in breastfeeding. Results: By means of factor analysis four factors were identified: the "regulating" factor focused on regulating the mothers' breastfeeding management, the "facilitating" factor focused on making it easy for mothers to manage their breastfeeding, the "disempowering" factor focused on giving advice, disregarding the needs of the mother being counselled, and the "breastfeeding antipathy" factor focused on insufficient, basic, breastfeeding knowledge and aversive reactions to breastfeeding. Midwives rated higher on the facilitating factor and breastfeeding antipathy factor and lower on the regulating factor than postnatal nurses. Breastfeeding interest was positively correlated with the facilitating factor, and negatively with the disempowering factor and the breastfeeding antipathy factor. Conclusion: This instrument provides a picture of health professionals' attitudes towards breastfeeding. Four factors were identified in order of importance: regulating, facilitating, disempowering, and breastfeeding antipathy factors. Harmful attitudes were identified and suggested a need for educational programmes to help health professionals to reconcile damaging values, in order to improve breastfeeding counselling

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2005
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Research subject
Medical sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:his:diva-1614 (URN)10.1080/14034940510005879 (DOI)000232467300004 ()16265802 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-27744543570 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2007-08-01 Created: 2007-08-01 Last updated: 2018-05-03Bibliographically approved
2. Process-oriented training in breastfeeding alters attitudes to breastfeeding in health professionals
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Process-oriented training in breastfeeding alters attitudes to breastfeeding in health professionals
2005 (English)In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, ISSN 1403-4948, E-ISSN 1651-1905, Vol. 33, no 6, p. 424-431Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Aim: The purpose of the study was to measure the attitudes of antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses to breastfeeding before and after common, process-oriented breastfeeding training. Method: Antenatal centres and child-health centres in 10 municipalities were randomized to either an intervention or a control group. The antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses in the intervention group were together given process-oriented breastfeeding training and were, in addition, asked to develop a common breastfeeding policy. A previously developed instrument was used to measure the effects of a training programme on breastfeeding attitudes among midwives and postnatal nurses. It consisted of four scales measuring a person's attitudes toward breastfeeding in four dimensions: regulating, facilitating, disempowering, and breastfeeding-antipathy attitudes. A mean score was calculated for each individual on these four dimensional scales. The higher the score, the stronger the attitude. Results: After one year, the intervention group reduced their scores on the regulating scale when compared with the control group (p<0.001). The intervention group decreased their scores on the regulating scale and increased their scores on the facilitating scale over the first year after training. The control group also significantly increased their scores on the facilitating scale. When the results were analysed profession-wise, the postnatal nurses in the intervention group decreased their scores on the regulating and disempowering scales and increased their scores on the facilitating scale. In contrast, the midwives in the intervention group decreased their scores only on the breastfeeding antipathy scale. The control group midwives decreased their scores on the disempowering scale. No differences were found among the postnatal nurses in the control group. Conclusion: Process-oriented breastfeeding training made both antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses better disposed to breastfeeding; postnatal nurses in particular improved their attitudes. Attitudes to breastfeeding tended to be stable over time, but process-oriented training lowered the scores a little on the regulating scale, suggesting that after this kind of training counsellors would find it less necessary to schedule and control the mothers' breastfeeding behaviour.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2005
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Research subject
Medical sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:his:diva-1615 (URN)10.1080/14034940510005923 (DOI)000233856100003 ()16332607 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-30944452598 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2007-08-01 Created: 2007-08-01 Last updated: 2018-05-03Bibliographically approved
3. Does Continuity of Care by Well-Trained Breastfeeding Counselors Improve a Mother´s Perception of Support?
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Does Continuity of Care by Well-Trained Breastfeeding Counselors Improve a Mother´s Perception of Support?
2006 (English)In: Birth, ISSN 0730-7659, E-ISSN 1523-536X, Vol. 33, no 2, p. 123-130Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background:Social support has been shown to be greatly important for breastfeeding success. The objective of this study was to investigate if mothers who were attended by midwives and nurses specially trained in breastfeeding counseling perceived better continuity of care and emotional and informative breastfeeding support than mothers who received only routine care. Method:Ten municipalities, each with an antenatal center and child health center, in southwest Sweden were randomized either to intervention or control municipalities. The intervention included a process-oriented training in breastfeeding counseling and continuity of care at the antenatal and child health centers. Primiparas were asked to evaluate the care given, and those living in the control municipalities were divided into control groups A and B. Data collection took place at different points in time for the two control groups. The 540 mothers responded to 3 questionnaires at 3 days and at 3 and 9 months postpartum. The perception of support provided by the health professionals and from the family classes was rated on Likert scales. Results:Intervention group mothers rated the breastfeeding information given during the family class as significantly better during pregnancy than both control groups, and better than control group B mothers at 3 months postpartum; compared with both control groups, intervention group mothers perceived that they received significantly better overall support and that postnatal nurses provided better information about breastfeeding and the baby's needs. At 9 months, intervention group mothers were more satisfied with knowledge about social rights, information about the baby's needs, and their social network than control group B mothers. Both intervention group and control group B mothers perceived better overall support than control group A during pregnancy. At 3 and 9 months, intervention group mothers perceived that postnatal nurses were more sensitive and understanding compared with both control groups. Conclusions:After implementation of a process-oriented breastfeeding training program for antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses that included an intervention guaranteeing continuity of care, the mothers were more satisfied with emotional and informative support during the first 9 months postpartum. The results lend support to family classes incorporating continuity of care. (BIRTH 33:2 June 2006)

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Wiley-Blackwell, 2006
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Research subject
Medical sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:his:diva-1815 (URN)10.1111/j.0730-7659.2006.00089.x (DOI)000237607300006 ()16732777 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-33749033321 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2007-09-03 Created: 2007-09-03 Last updated: 2018-05-03Bibliographically approved
4. Breastfeeding support from partners and grandmothers: Perceptions of Swedish women
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Breastfeeding support from partners and grandmothers: Perceptions of Swedish women
2003 (English)In: Birth, ISSN 0730-7659, E-ISSN 1523-536X, Vol. 30, no 4, p. 261-266Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: Support from the mother’s network of relatives, friends, and professional caregivers during childbirth is likely to be important for breastfeeding success. Few studies have been conducted to examine mothers’ perceptions of breastfeeding support. The objective of this study was to describe breastfeeding support and feelings of confidence of primiparas and multiparas in relation to duration of breastfeeding. Methods: Mothers who

delivered vaginally were eligible for inclusion. After receiving a questionnaire when their children were 9 to 12 months of age, 194 primiparas and 294 multiparas responded to questions on

breastfeeding history and on perceived and overall breastfeeding support and feelings of confidence. Results: Feelings of overall breastfeeding support were correlated with duration of

exclusive breastfeeding in both primiparas (p < 0.001) and multiparas (p < 0.001). Multiparas who knew how long they were breastfed as a child showed a longer duration of exclusive

(p ¼ 0.006) and total (p ¼ 0.007) breastfeeding than multiparas who did not know. The time during which the partner was present after labor was correlated with the duration of exclusive

(p < 0.001) and total breastfeeding (p ¼ 0.002) in primiparas. Feelings of confidence when the baby was 6 to12 months old, as retrospectively rated on a visual analog scale, was correlated

with feelings of confidence in the partner during childbirth in both primiparas (p < 0.001) and multiparas (p < 0.001) and the experience of overall breastfeeding support (primiparas,

p ¼ 0.002; multiparas, p < 0.001). Both groups were more content with breastfeeding information they received from midwives in the maternity wards, compared with that from antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A helpful support strategy for mothers with respect to breastfeeding outcome is for health professionals to discuss the grandmother’s perception of breastfeeding with the mother. It is important for perinatal

caregivers to provide an environment that enables the family to stay together after delivery. A helpful support strategy for health professionals might be to mobilize grandmothers with positive breastfeeding perception to provide support for their daughters’ breastfeeding. (BIRTH 30:4 December 2003)

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Wiley-Blackwell, 2003
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Research subject
Medical sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:his:diva-2075 (URN)10.1046/j.1523-536X.2003.00256.x (DOI)000186415400006 ()14992157 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-0345304860 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2007-07-02 Created: 2007-07-02 Last updated: 2018-05-03Bibliographically approved
5. Duration of Breastfeeding in Swedish Primiparous and Multiparous Women
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Duration of Breastfeeding in Swedish Primiparous and Multiparous Women
2003 (English)In: Journal of Human Lactation, ISSN 0890-3344, E-ISSN 1552-5732, Vol. 19, no 2, p. 172-178Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The aim of this study was to describe the effects of sociodemographicfactors and maternity ward practices on the duration of breastfeedingin Swedish primiparas (n = 194) and multiparas (n = 294), consecutivelyselected from hospital birth files for 3 months, who respondedto a questionnaire 9 to 12 months after childbirth. The impactof sociodemographic data and maternity ward practices on exclusiveand any breastfeeding were examined. Smoking and supplementationwithout medical reasons influenced the duration of both exclusiveand any breastfeeding negatively, whereas early first breastfeedinginfluenced the duration of both exclusive and any breastfeedingpositively, and parity had no significant influence. Late hospitaldischarge influenced the duration of exclusive breastfeedingpositively, and higher maternal age influenced the durationof any breastfeeding positively. These variables altogetherexplained 11.4% (P <.001) of the variance in the durationof exclusive breastfeeding and 8.2% (P <.001) of the durationof any breastfeeding

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2003
Keywords
breastfeeding, parity, maternity ward practices, smoking, hospital discharge
National Category
Physiology
Research subject
Medical sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:his:diva-2512 (URN)10.1177/0890334403252537 (DOI)12744534 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-0037735131 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2009-01-14 Created: 2009-01-14 Last updated: 2018-05-03Bibliographically approved

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