Attitudes towards infant feeding among adults in a low socioeconomic community: what social support is there for breastfeeding?

An analysis of the role of social support in influencing breastfeeding in a low socioeconomic area in South Australia was undertaken by examining infant feeding attitudes and experiences of mothers, fathers and grandmothers as well as the general community. A random telephone survey of over 3,400 adults (including a more extensive survey of 373 mothers, fathers and grandmothers in the sample) in this area indicated that there was little support for breastfeeding compared to bottle-feeding with similar barriers to breastfeeding found in all target groups as well as the general community. These included breastfeeding in public, the convenience of bottle-feeding, maternal discomfort of breastfeeding, the support required for breastfeeding, fathers' involvement with feeding, and a mother's previous experience of breastfeeding. Strategies promoting and supporting breastfeeding should address these issues and should be directed at the community in general rather than specific groups within the community.