Skelton Kara, Evans Retta, LaChenaye Jenna
Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.
School of Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
JMIR Pediatr Parent. 2020 Mar 24;3(1):e14355. doi: 10.2196/14355.
Although most US mothers initiate breastfeeding, suboptimal breastfeeding rates still exist. Although breastfeeding is a complex process, social support has been linked with increases in positive breastfeeding outcomes. Recent technological advances, including the development of social networking sites, provide mothers with convenient access to a unique array of audiences from which to seek advice about parenting, including breastfeeding. However, little is known about how the use of the sites-specifically groups centered around breastfeeding-influences breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors.
This mixed methods study aimed to explore utilization of an existing probreastfeeding Facebook group and how utilization influences breastfeeding-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
Participants were recruited online through Facebook wall posts from within the existing group. Mothers aged between 18 and 50 years who were pregnant and intended to breastfeed, were currently breastfeeding, or had recently weaned their infant in the past 3 years were eligible to participate. Participants engaged in online focus group discussions (n=21) and individual interviews (n=12). Inductive content analysis of qualitative data led to the conceptualization and contextualization of a breastfeeding community of practice (COP). Using qualitative results, a quantitative survey was then developed to assess the prevalence of qualities of a COP as well as how COP usage influenced breastfeeding-related attitudes and knowledge. A total of 314 mothers completed the online survey.
Qualitative findings showed an overall sense of community, with subthemes of group trust, interaction, and the promotion of breastfeeding. A majority (287/314, 91.5%) of mothers initiated breastfeeding, with 69.0% (216/314) of mothers reporting exclusive breastfeeding their infant at 6 months. Approximately 98.5% (309/314) of mothers reported that the Facebook group captured and stored knowledge; therefore, information could be easily accessed and applied. In addition, 96.2% (302/317) of mothers reported that the Facebook group motivated them to share breastfeeding-related knowledge.
The results suggest that this existing probreastfeeding Facebook group exhibits characteristics of an online COP, which was organically formed. Utilization of the Facebook group, in the context of an online COP, could be beneficial in impacting breastfeeding-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. However, further examination and exploration of breastfeeding COPs, including using this type of model as a method of lactation support or as a telemedicine framework, is a clear need.
尽管大多数美国母亲开始进行母乳喂养，但仍存在不理想的母乳喂养率。尽管母乳喂养是一个复杂的过程，但社会支持与积极的母乳喂养结果增加有关。最近的技术进步，包括社交网站的发展，为母亲们提供了方便的途径，可以接触到各种各样独特的受众群体，从中寻求育儿建议，包括母乳喂养方面的建议。然而，对于这些网站（特别是围绕母乳喂养的群组）的使用如何影响母乳喂养知识、态度或行为，我们知之甚少。
这项混合方法研究旨在探讨一个现有的支持母乳喂养的脸书群组的使用情况，以及这种使用如何影响与母乳喂养相关的知识、态度和行为。
通过在现有群组内发布脸书墙贴在线招募参与者。年龄在18至50岁之间、怀孕且打算母乳喂养、正在进行母乳喂养或在过去3年内刚给婴儿断奶的母亲有资格参与。参与者参与了在线焦点小组讨论（n = 21）和个人访谈（n = 12）。对定性数据进行归纳性内容分析，得出了母乳喂养实践社区（COP）的概念化和情境化。根据定性结果，随后制定了一项定量调查，以评估COP特质的普遍性以及COP的使用如何影响与母乳喂养相关的态度和知识。共有314名母亲完成了在线调查。
定性研究结果显示出一种整体的社区感，其亚主题包括群体信任、互动以及对母乳喂养的推广。大多数（287/314，91.5%）母亲开始进行母乳喂养，其中69.0%（216/314）的母亲报告在婴儿6个月时进行纯母乳喂养。约98.5%（309/314）的母亲报告称脸书群组收集并存储了知识；因此，信息可以轻松获取并应用。此外，96.2%（302/317）的母亲报告称脸书群组促使她们分享与母乳喂养相关的知识。
结果表明，这个现有的支持母乳喂养的脸书群组展现出了一个有机形成的在线COP的特征。在在线COP的背景下使用脸书群组，可能有助于影响与母乳喂养相关的知识、态度和行为。然而，显然需要对母乳喂养COP进行进一步的审视和探索，包括将这种模式用作一种哺乳支持方法或远程医疗框架。
