Improving support for successful breastfeeding initiation and duration - Recommendations from mothers of Aboriginal
Anneka Bowman1, Karen Glover2, Casey Cameron2
1Aboriginal Communities and Families Health Research Alliance (ACRA), Women and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, Australia; Centre for Research Excellence in Stillbirth, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
Objective:
To explore the perspectives of mothers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants about improvements for breastfeeding education and services for Aboriginal communities.
Design And Setting:
A qualitative study exploring breastfeeding experiences through semi-structured Yarns with 30 mothers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants. Mothers attended one of two maternal health services in metropolitan Adelaide that specifically serve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Interviews were conducted between November 2020 and May 2022, with interview transcripts analysed thematically.
Main Outcome Measures:
Common themes reported by women about their experiences of care and education concerning feeding their infants, as well as recommendations to improve breastfeeding education and services for women during the antenatal and postpartum periods.
Results:
A total of 30 mothers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants were interviewed within two years postpartum, for their experiences and perspectives on education and services around breastfeeding. Recommendations were grouped under four main themes encompassing accessibility of practical and financial support, health care services structure and acceptability, infant feeding, and improvements to community-based services. Women appreciated culturally appropriate and respectful postnatal care and support for breastfeeding, particularly when it was delivered by Aboriginal care providers. Women highlighted improvements that could be made to breastfeeding services, including better education about breastfeeding, 24/7 access to lactation consultants, education and training around institutional racism and ageism, and providing consistent, culturally safe care.
Conclusion:
Mothers of Aboriginal infants want continuity of care and access to culturally safe support, both from Aboriginal care providers and when engaging with mainstream services. Current services need to strengthen and embed culturally-appropriate models of care, with financial, practical and educational support spanning antenatal to postnatal periods.
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