Exploring Nurse Responses to Spontaneous Breastfeeding Episodes During Routine Infant Health Checks in Finland: A...

Support for mothers' uptake and longevity in breastfeeding is a global health priority. The benefits of breastfeeding are well documented, ranging from immediate health benefits for the infant that include provision of the best nutrition, to longer-term impacts such as reducing the risk of future digestive complications and obesity in adulthood. We analyze how impromptu breastfeeding might be supported by health-care nurses in Finnish maternity and child health clinics during routine infant health checks. The video data analyzed explore naturally occurring breastfeeding during these clinic encounters, using the analysis of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis (EMCA) approach to explore breastfeeding interactions between mothers, infants, and nurses. Findings demonstrate that, in extract 1 the nurse makes herself freely available, offering verbal and physical support when needed, and in extract 2 the mother manages a close intimate interaction feeding her baby whilst also engaging in knowledge exchange regarding important information with the nurse. We discuss how spontaneous breastfeeding interactions during routine clinic visits provide opportunities for nurses to support breastfeeding, where they are acknowledged as rather complex activities requiring focus. Considerations for professional practice are made by exploring how these early perinatal visits provide opportunities for nurses to observe and converse with mothers about how they are managing breastfeeding. A further conclusion suggests that an EMCA methodological exploration of breastfeeding interactions can inform future nurse practice in Finland and other countries.