‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers
Abstract Objective: 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. Design: We conducted one-time, semi-structured phone interviews with mothers and EC educators to exam...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002313/type/journal_article |
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| author | Jill R Demirci Rachel Dieterich Melissa Glasser Caroline Harpel Timothy Shope |
| author_facet | Jill R Demirci Rachel Dieterich Melissa Glasser Caroline Harpel Timothy Shope |
| author_sort | Jill R Demirci |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
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.
Design:
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).
Setting:
US-based CCC
Participants:
Fifty working mothers using CCC for their infants and twenty-two EC educators
Results:
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.
Conclusions:
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.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-27e09bb9be67439f96b6ad63ace6e010 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-27e09bb9be67439f96b6ad63ace6e0102025-02-10T09:29:32ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980024002313‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centersJill R Demirci0Rachel Dieterich1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3209-1002Melissa Glasser2Caroline Harpel3Timothy Shope4Department of Health Promotion & Development, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh 15261, PA, USAChatham University, Nursing Programs, Pittsburgh, PA, USADepartment of Health Promotion & Development, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh 15261, PA, USAHighmark Wholecare, Pittsburgh, PA, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Division of General Academic Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Abstract Objective: 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. Design: 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). Setting: US-based CCC Participants: Fifty working mothers using CCC for their infants and twenty-two EC educators Results: 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. Conclusions: 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. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002313/type/journal_articleBreast-feedingLactationChild careChild daycare centresWorkplaceQualitative |
| spellingShingle | Jill R Demirci Rachel Dieterich Melissa Glasser Caroline Harpel Timothy Shope ‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers Public Health Nutrition Breast-feeding Lactation Child care Child daycare centres Workplace Qualitative |
| title | ‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers |
| title_full | ‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers |
| title_fullStr | ‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers |
| title_short | ‘There’s a Little Bit of Tension There’: perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast-feeding in child care centers |
| title_sort | there s a little bit of tension there perspectives of mothers and early childhood educators on breast feeding in child care centers |
| topic | Breast-feeding Lactation Child care Child daycare centres Workplace Qualitative |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002313/type/journal_article |
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