Development of the breast milk expression experience measure

Area of Science:

• Lactation and Breastfeeding Research
• Maternal and Child Health
• Psychometric Instrument Development

Background:

• Exclusive breastfeeding is optimal for infant nutrition up to six months.
• Milk expression may influence breastfeeding duration, with women's experiences potentially mediating this effect.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a brief measure assessing women's experiences with milk expression.
• The Breast Milk Expression Experience (BMEE) scale was created to evaluate three dimensions: social support, ease of learning, and personal experiences.

Main Methods:

• Developed an 11-item Breast Milk Expression Experience (BMEE) scale using 1-5 Likert scales.
• Administered the scale to 68 postpartum mothers immediately after milk expression.
• Evaluated reliability using Cronbach's alpha and predictive validity by comparing BMEE scores to 1-month breastfeeding duration.

Main Results:

• The BMEE scale demonstrated appropriate reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.703 for the summary index).
• Higher BMEE scores (≥3) were significantly associated with continued milk expression at 1 month postpartum (80.4%) compared to lower scores (<3) (33.3%, P = 0.012).
• The scale showed good predictive validity for breastfeeding duration.

Conclusions:

• The Breast Milk Expression Experience (BMEE) scale is a promising tool for assessing mothers' experiences with milk expression.
• Utilizing the BMEE scale can enhance understanding of factors influencing breastfeeding duration.
• This measure can aid in developing targeted support for breastfeeding mothers who express milk.