Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit, School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Matern Child Nutr. 2011 Apr;7(2):160-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2010.00251.x.
Given the overwhelming evidence for the benefits of breastfeeding, and yet the low prevalence rates in the UK, it is crucial to understand the influences on women's infant feeding experiences to target and promote effective support. As part of an evaluation study of the implementation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Community Award within two primary (community-based) care trusts in North West England, 15 women took part in an in-depth interview to explore their experiences, opinions and perceptions of infant feeding. In this paper, we have provided a theoretical interpretation of these women's experiences by drawing upon Aaron Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC) theory. The SOC is a global orientation to how people are able to cope with stressors and maintain a sense of well-being. The three constructs that underpin the SOC are 'comprehensibility' (one must believe that one understands the life challenge), 'manageability' (one has sufficient resources at one's disposal) and 'meaningfulness' (one must want to cope with the life challenge). In this paper, our interpretations explore how infant feeding is influenced by the 'comprehensibility', 'manageability' and 'meaningfulness' of this event; contextualized within a wider socio-cultural perspective. The findings of this paper offer a unique means through which the influences on women's experiences of infant feeding may be considered. Recommendations and suggestions for practice in relation to the implementation of the BFI have also been presented.
鉴于母乳喂养的益处如此之多，但在英国的流行率却很低，了解影响女性哺乳体验的因素对于有针对性地提供有效支持至关重要。作为对英国联合国儿童基金会婴儿友好倡议（BFI）社区奖在英格兰西北部两个初级（基于社区）保健信托内实施情况进行评估研究的一部分，15 名妇女参加了深入访谈，以探讨她们对婴儿喂养的经验、意见和看法。在本文中，我们通过借鉴 Aaron Antonovsky 的“意义感”（SOC）理论，对这些女性的经验进行了理论解释。SOC 是人们应对压力源和保持幸福感的全球取向。SOC 所依赖的三个结构是“可理解性”（人们必须相信自己理解生活挑战）、“可管理性”（人们有足够的资源可供支配）和“意义感”（人们必须愿意应对生活挑战）。在本文中，我们的解释探讨了婴儿喂养是如何受到这一事件的“可理解性”、“可管理性”和“意义感”的影响的；并将其置于更广泛的社会文化视角下进行了分析。本文的研究结果提供了一种独特的方法，可以用来考虑影响女性哺乳体验的因素。本文还提出了与实施 BFI 相关的建议和实践建议。
