Social support and lactation outcomes in postpartum women.

Questionnaires were mailed to 45 primiparous lactating women at six weeks postpartum to measure their perceived social support and its influence on lactation outcomes. Also evaluated were the size and structures of their support networks. Subjects were asked to share their thoughts and feelings regarding breastfeeding. There were no statistically significant differences between perceived support scores of women who considered themselves successful or those women who felt unsuccessful in their lactation experience. There was a significant correlation between numbers of health care provider support, informational support and perception of successful lactation. Thematic analysis identified differences in personality characteristics and focus of breastfeeding concerns. Increasing a woman's informational support network to include qualified health care professionals may increase the numbers of women who are satisfied with their breastfeeding experience.