Paper
Saturday, 22 July 2006
Infant Feeding: Conflicts in Family and Healthcare Provider Advice
Sharon Barton, RN, PhD and Judi Daniels, ARNP, PhD. College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| Learning Objective #1: describe common infant feeding practices that do not follow AAP and WHO recommendations. |
| Learning Objective #2: discuss how healthcare providers support and hinder infant feeding recommendations. |
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe family and healthcare provider advice regarding infant feeding.
Method: This study was part of a larger longitudinal ethnography investigating family and cultural influences on infant feeding practices. Interviews with mothers and family members at data collection points of 1-2 months, 4-6 months, and 10-12 months, followed WHO and AAP recommendations for the progression of infant feeding from formula or breastmilk, to addition of solid foods, to self-feeding foods, finally to weaning from the breast or bottle. As part of the ethnography, interviews were conducted with physicians, nurse practitioners, workers with the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food supplement program, and community workers promoting healthy infant feeding and parenting. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, field notes described communities.
Findings: Family members recommended feeding infants cereal in the bottle to lengthen sleep. Some health providers actually supported this recommendation while others disagreed with the practice but did not provide advice to parents. Some physicians believed that infants were being overfed but were reluctant to provide advice because they did not want to lose the family’s “trust”. Fast food was a common component of the infant diet during the last half of the first year of life. Families did not recognize that the content of infant meals was important to later growth and development. Discussion: Local customs in the study area included early introduction of solid foods and rapid advancement to table foods. Families clashed with health providers regarding infant feeding advice particularly on using solid food to promote nighttime sleep and recognizing developmental readiness for solid foods. Understanding and responding to local cultural norms and family beliefs can help nurses tailor health promotion to improve infant feeding practices.
See more of Studies and Models for Child and Adolescent Health Issues
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)