Online Perceptions of Mothers About Breastfeeding and Introducing Formula: Qualitative Study
Anna Lena Wennberg1, Sanna Jonsson1, Josefine Zadik Janke1
1Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Background:
Although the benefits of breastfeeding are well established for babies and their mothers, many women give formula to their infants. Whether to breastfeed or to give infant formula is a complex decision to make. Many parents use the Internet to find information and support that relate to infant feeding decisions.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to analyze the perceptions of mothers, who are discussing the topic on Web forums, about introducing infant formula.
Methods:
This is a qualitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study on online data from parenting Web forums. The text was analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results:
The analysis resulted in 1 main theme, "balancing between social expectations and confidence in your parental ability," which is further divided into 3 themes: "striving to be a good mother," "striving for your own well-being," and "striving to discover your own path."
Conclusions:
Breastfeeding is complex, and health care personnel can, with a more open approach toward formula, create better support for mothers by helping them to be more confident in their parental ability.
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