A Concept Analysis of Intergenerational Legacies in Lactation Decision-Making

Area of Science:

• Lactation research
• Public health
• Sociology
• Anthropology
• Family science

Background:

• The concept of intergenerational legacies in lactation decision-making lacks consistent definition in scientific literature.
• Existing terms like 'intergenerational transmission' and 'grandmother support' are used interchangeably, causing conceptual ambiguity.
• For African American women, legacies are uniquely impacted by historical enslavement, forced wet nursing, and structural racism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formally define intergenerational legacies in lactation decision-making.
• To identify the core attributes, antecedents, and consequences of this concept.
• To establish a theoretical foundation for culturally responsive infant feeding research and practice.

Main Methods:

• Concept analysis using Walker and Avant's eight-step framework.
• Comprehensive literature search across major databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus).
• Inclusion of peer-reviewed articles from 2000-2025 across relevant disciplines.

Main Results:

• Three defining attributes identified: intergenerational knowledge/belief transmission, context-shaped perceptions, and adaptive generational responses.
• Antecedents include family structures, prior feeding experiences, communication, and historical context (e.g., enslavement).
• Consequences involve maternal attitudes, lactation self-efficacy, and norm perpetuation/disruption.

Conclusions:

• This analysis provides the first formal definition of intergenerational legacies in lactation decision-making.
• Offers a theoretical framework for culturally sensitive research and practice.
• Particularly relevant for communities affected by historical disruptions in knowledge transmission.