ATTITUDES TOWARD BREAST-FEEDING IN PERTH, AUSTRALIA - QUALITATIVE-ANALYSIS

Breastfeeding is promoted as the preferred method of feeding for infan ts up to at least-the age of 4 to 6 months. While the majority of Aust ralian mothers initiate breastfeeding, approximately half have termina ted breastfeeding before 6 months postpartum. A series of focus groups were conducted to identify societal attitudes to breastfeeding that m ay have a negative impact on breastfeeding duration. Analysis of the d ominant themes to emerge from the focus group interviews indicate that (1) there is general agreement that breast feeding in public is socia lly acceptable, provided the woman does so discreetly: (2) appropriate facilities should be provided in places frequented by young families where mothers can breastfeed in private, should they choose to do so; (3) fathers should be included in all pre-and perinatal breastfeeding classes and the content of the classes should be expanded to incorpora te the importance of the supporting role of the partner; (4) breastfee ding classes should address the issue of breastmilk insufficiency (rea l and perceived) to allay the common concerns of mothers: and (5) teen age girls and boys should be the target of school-based breastfeeding education programs that address the psychological and sexual aspects o f breastfeeding, in addition to che nutritive and health benefits.