Demirci Jill R, Dieterich Rachel, Glasser Melissa, Harpel Caroline, Shope Timothy
Department of Health Promotion & Development, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh15261, PA, USA.
Chatham University, Nursing Programs, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Public Health Nutr. 2025 Jan 7;28(1):e38. doi: 10.1017/S1368980024002313.
To explore mothers' and early childhood (EC) educators' experiences of breast-feeding/breast milk provision and breast-feeding support in child care centres (CCC) in the USA.
We conducted one-time, semi-structured phone interviews with mothers and EC educators to examine perceptions of support, accommodations and barriers to breast-feeding in CCC. We administered a background survey to assess participant characteristics and quantify perceived degree of breast-feeding support in the workplace (mothers) and CCC (mothers and EC educators).
US-based CCC.
Fifty working mothers using CCC for their infants and twenty-two EC educators.
Interview themes and background surveys reflected neutral feelings towards breast-feeding support received (mothers) and provided (EC educators) in CCC. Maternal expectations for breast-feeding support in CCC were generally low; workplace and social support for breast-feeding were perceived as the most important factors impacting breast-feeding. EC educators' capacity to offer breast-feeding support was constrained by CCC infant feeding regulations, inadequate breast-feeding training and time limitations. Tensions arose when mothers attempted to manage low milk supply at the CCC level by requesting EC educators to individualise feeding or milk storage practices for their infant.
Breast-feeding efforts of working mothers are undermined in multiple settings, including the workplace and CCC. Improving breast-feeding outcomes for this population requires structural/policy changes that: (1) maximise opportunities for continued, direct breast-feeding and maternal/infant proximity and (2) enforce evidence-based CCC feeding protocols and standards and EC educator lactation training.
探讨美国母亲和幼儿教育工作者在儿童保育中心进行母乳喂养/提供母乳以及提供母乳喂养支持的经历。
我们对母亲和幼儿教育工作者进行了一次性的半结构化电话访谈，以研究对儿童保育中心母乳喂养支持、便利条件和障碍的看法。我们进行了一项背景调查，以评估参与者的特征，并量化工作场所（母亲）和儿童保育中心（母亲和幼儿教育工作者）中母乳喂养支持的感知程度。
美国的儿童保育中心。
50名使用儿童保育中心照顾婴儿的职业母亲和22名幼儿教育工作者。
访谈主题和背景调查反映出对儿童保育中心所接受（母亲）和所提供（幼儿教育工作者）的母乳喂养支持持中立态度。母亲对儿童保育中心母乳喂养支持的期望普遍较低；工作场所和社会对母乳喂养的支持被认为是影响母乳喂养的最重要因素。幼儿教育工作者提供母乳喂养支持的能力受到儿童保育中心婴儿喂养规定、母乳喂养培训不足和时间限制的制约。当母亲要求幼儿教育工作者为其婴儿个性化喂养或储奶做法，试图在儿童保育中心层面解决乳汁供应不足问题时，就会出现紧张局面。
职业母亲的母乳喂养努力在多个环境中受到影响，包括工作场所和儿童保育中心。改善这一人群的母乳喂养结果需要进行结构/政策变革，即：（1）最大限度地增加持续直接母乳喂养以及母婴亲密接触的机会；（2）执行基于证据的儿童保育中心喂养方案和标准以及幼儿教育工作者的哺乳培训。
