Department of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park.
J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2024;38(1):37-45. doi: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000799.
Mothers report feeling immense pressure to breastfeed their infants, and not doing so can be associated with stigma, shame, and judgment. Many Latina mothers struggle to meet their breastfeeding goals and substitute formula earlier than planned. During 2022, an infant formula recall caused a shortage and made acquiring formula difficult or impossible in many areas of the United States. This study explores Latina mothers' experiences with infant feeding during the time of the formula shortage.
In-depth interviews (N = 7) were conducted with Latina mothers who formula-fed during the shortage. Interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Mean maternal age was 29.7 years, and mean infant age was 10.3 months. Three mothers were born in the United States, and 4 were immigrants.
Thematic analysis generated 3 themes: (1) Fighting to breastfeed; (2) Breastfeeding is not the only way to be a "good" mother; and (3) No formula on the shelves. Participants described their determination to continue breastfeeding despite challenges before realizing that it limited their ability to care for their children. They discussed the emotional toll of the formula shortage and strategies for finding formula.
The findings emphasize the need for additional structural support for infant feeding in the United States to prevent future formula shortages and for better lactation care and mental health support for mothers who want to breastfeed.
母亲们报告说她们感到巨大的压力要给婴儿母乳喂养，如果不这样做，可能会感到耻辱和评判。许多拉丁裔母亲难以实现母乳喂养的目标，并提前改用配方奶粉。在 2022 年，一次婴儿配方奶粉召回导致短缺，在美国许多地区，获取配方奶粉变得困难或不可能。本研究探讨了拉丁裔母亲在配方奶粉短缺期间的婴儿喂养经历。
对在短缺期间用配方奶粉喂养的拉丁裔母亲进行了深入访谈（N=7）。使用反思性主题分析对访谈进行了分析。母亲的平均年龄为 29.7 岁，婴儿的平均年龄为 10.3 个月。3 位母亲出生在美国，4 位是移民。
主题分析产生了 3 个主题：（1）努力母乳喂养；（2）母乳喂养不是成为“好”母亲的唯一途径；（3）货架上没有配方奶粉。参与者描述了尽管在意识到这会限制他们照顾孩子的能力之前，他们曾努力继续母乳喂养，但他们还是遇到了困难。他们讨论了配方奶粉短缺带来的情绪影响，以及寻找配方奶粉的策略。
这些发现强调了美国需要额外的结构性支持来进行婴儿喂养，以防止未来的配方奶粉短缺，并为希望母乳喂养的母亲提供更好的哺乳护理和心理健康支持。
