Camille Fabiyi1, Kristin Rankin2, Kathleen Norr3, Joseph C Yoder3, Rohitkumar Vasa4, Rosemary White-Traut5. 1. Section of Family Planning and Contraception Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA Women, Children and Family Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. 2. Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. 3. Women, Children and Family Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. 4. Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. 5. Women, Children and Family Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI, USA rwhite-traut@chw.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Premature infants benefit from receiving expressed breast milk (BM), but expressing breast milk is difficult for new mothers. Little is known about mothers' social support and BM expression during the premature infant's hospital stay. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether low maternal social support was associated with breast milk expression initiation and low breast milk expression among low-income mothers of premature infants. METHODS: Maternal intake interview data and daily infant data on proportion of nutrition from BM during hospitalization were analyzed from a larger randomized trial testing a developmental intervention on 181 mother-premature infant dyads with at least 2 of 10 social-environmental risks. Multivariable modified Poisson regression was used to examine the relationship between social support (Personal Resources Questionnaire 2000; dichotomized as low for lowest quartile), initiation (any breast milk expressed vs none), and low breast milk expression (if BM was < 30% of infant total milk/formula intake during hospitalization). RESULTS: Breast milk expression was initiated by 70.2% of mothers, and 32.3% of those mothers had low breast milk expression. In adjusted multivariable analyses, social support did not relate to the initiation of breast milk expression but was significantly associated with low breast milk expression among mothers who initiated (adjusted relative risk = 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.47). CONCLUSION: Low social support was not associated with initiation but was associated with low breast milk expression during hospitalization. Interventions to enhance social support for mothers of premature infants, especially those reporting low social support from family and friends, may increase in-hospital expression and long-term breastfeeding.
BACKGROUND: Premature infants benefit from receiving expressed breast milk (BM), but expressing breast milk is difficult for new mothers. Little is known about mothers' social support and BM expression during the premature infant's hospital stay. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether low maternal social support was associated with breast milk expression initiation and low breast milk expression among low-income mothers of premature infants. METHODS: Maternal intake interview data and daily infant data on proportion of nutrition from BM during hospitalization were analyzed from a larger randomized trial testing a developmental intervention on 181 mother-premature infant dyads with at least 2 of 10 social-environmental risks. Multivariable modified Poisson regression was used to examine the relationship between social support (Personal Resources Questionnaire 2000; dichotomized as low for lowest quartile), initiation (any breast milk expressed vs none), and low breast milk expression (if BM was < 30% of infant total milk/formula intake during hospitalization). RESULTS: Breast milk expression was initiated by 70.2% of mothers, and 32.3% of those mothers had low breast milk expression. In adjusted multivariable analyses, social support did not relate to the initiation of breast milk expression but was significantly associated with low breast milk expression among mothers who initiated (adjusted relative risk = 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.47). CONCLUSION: Low social support was not associated with initiation but was associated with low breast milk expression during hospitalization. Interventions to enhance social support for mothers of premature infants, especially those reporting low social support from family and friends, may increase in-hospital expression and long-term breastfeeding.
Authors: Erin Fleurant; Michael Schoeny; Rebecca Hoban; Ifeyinwa V Asiodu; Brittany Riley; Paula P Meier; Harold Bigger; Aloka L Patel Journal: Breastfeed Med Date: 2016-12-01 Impact factor: 1.817