Community Practices, Published Guidelines, and Evidence Base Surrounding Breast Milk Handling and Storage: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition
• Infant Feeding

Background:

• Expressed breast milk (EBM) is a vital alternative to direct breastfeeding.
• Safe EBM handling and storage are crucial for maintaining milk integrity.
• Mothers frequently seek EBM guidance from online communities and internet resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate EBM handling and storage practices within an online community of mothers who exclusively express milk.
• To compare these practices with available internet resources and evidence-based research.
• To identify factors influencing mothers' EBM handling and storage decisions.

Main Methods:

• A naturalistic observational study using content analysis of 10,000 posts from an Australian Facebook group for mothers exclusively expressing breast milk.
• Thematic analysis of 460 posts related to EBM handling and storage, focusing on questions, reported practices, and advice.
• Comparison of community practices and advice with existing guidelines and scientific literature.

Main Results:

• Three primary themes emerged: EBM storage methods, storage duration, and EBM usage.
• The highest agreement between community practices and recommendations was observed for storage methods.
• The lowest agreement was found for EBM storage duration, with practices influenced by perceived milk value, convenience, and cost, leading to deviations from guidelines.

Conclusions:

• Current EBM handling and storage guidelines require updates to ensure consistency, align with current evidence, and address mothers' concerns regarding cost, convenience, and milk wastage.
• Healthcare providers should collaborate with mothers to critically evaluate online information, empowering informed decision-making for safe EBM practices.
• Addressing practical considerations can improve adherence to safe EBM handling and support continued milk expression.