Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Breastfeed Med. 2021 Feb;16(2):131-139. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2020.0308.
African American (AA) women look to their mother and maternal grandmother for parenting information and support; this intergenerational communication may reinforce or hinder breastfeeding practices. Rooted in Black Feminist Thought, this study's objective was to use an asset-based approach to explore infant feeding information shared across at least two generations of AA female family members. Fifteen family triads/dyads ( = 35 women), residing in Southeastern United States, participated in semistructured interviews in 2019. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Infant feeding information shared across generations was characterized into six themes: Guidance, Practical assistance, Reservations, Affirmations, Observational learning, and Perceived undermining. Typically, conversations occurred in one of four reproductive life stages (preconception, prenatal, birth, and post-birth) of the youngest adult generation and may have been influenced by each family's feeding history ("One generation breastfed," "Two generations breastfed," and "Three generations breastfed"). Notably, with each additional generation of breastfeeding experience, perceived undermining and reservation reporting decreased. In addition, families reclaimed and reconnected with ancestral breastfeeding practices. Findings suggest that every generation matters to breastfeeding behaviors in AA families. Therefore, nuanced, family-centered approaches should build on assets within AA families to support them in meeting their feeding goals. Practitioners should recognize the importance of oral tradition as a mode of transmitting infant feeding information among AAs and understand the influence of family feeding history in intergenerational infant feeding communication. When working with AAs, practitioners must be flexible, respectful, supportive, and actively learning about an individual's beliefs and culture, creating space to reframe, without judgment or paternalism.
非裔美国女性(AA)向其母亲和外祖母寻求育儿信息和支持;这种代际沟通可能会加强或阻碍母乳喂养的实践。本研究根植于黑人女权主义思想,旨在采用基于资产的方法探索至少两代 AA 女性家庭成员之间共享的婴儿喂养信息。2019 年,15 个家庭三人组/二人组( = 35 名女性)参与了半结构化访谈。使用主题分析对定性数据进行分析。跨代际共享的婴儿喂养信息分为六个主题:指导、实际帮助、保留意见、肯定、观察学习和感知破坏。通常,对话发生在最年轻一代的四个生殖生命阶段(受孕前、产前、出生和产后)中的一个阶段,并且可能受到每个家庭喂养史的影响(“一代人母乳喂养”、“两代人母乳喂养”和“三代人母乳喂养”)。值得注意的是,随着母乳喂养经验的每增加一代,感知破坏和保留意见的报告减少。此外,家庭重新获得并重新连接到祖传的母乳喂养实践。研究结果表明,每一代人对 AA 家庭的母乳喂养行为都很重要。因此,细致入微、以家庭为中心的方法应该建立在 AA 家庭的资产基础上,以支持他们实现喂养目标。从业者应该认识到口头传统作为 AA 族裔间传递婴儿喂养信息的一种模式的重要性,并了解家庭喂养史对代际婴儿喂养沟通的影响。在与 AA 合作时,从业者必须灵活、尊重、支持,并积极了解个人的信仰和文化,为重新构建创造空间,而不会进行评判或家长式作风。