African-American and Latina adolescent mothers' infant feeding decisions and breastfeeding practices: A qualitative study

Purpose: To explore minority teen mothers' perceptions of breastfeeding and the influences on infant feeding choices. Methods: A qualitative study using semistructured ethnographic interviews a nd focus groups involving 35 Latina and African-American girls in Chicago b etween the ages of 12 and 19 years who were primiparous and were currently pregnant or had delivered within the past 3 months. Results: Adolescents identified three main influences on infant feeding dec isions and practices: (a) their perceptions of the benefits of breastfeedin g, (b) their perceptions of the problems with breastfeeding, and (c) influe ntial people. In this study, teens reported no single influence which deter mined infant feeding choices. The decision to breastfeed was a dynamic proc ess. Teens recognized that breastfeeding offered many benefits including fa cilitating maternal-child bonding and promoting the baby's health, but conc ern was raised regarding a potential for excessive attachment between teen mother and baby. Fear of pain, embarrassment with public exposure, and unea se with the act of breastfeeding acted as barriers for teenagers who were c onsidering breastfeeding. Teenagers discussed the breast pump as a strategy in dealing with these barriers. The adolescents' mothers continued to be a n important influence. Conclusions: The ranges of perceptions and influences that minority adolesc ent mothers have identified as affecting their infant feeding choices, illu strated and explained in the teens' own words, are helpful to health care p roviders as they counsel teen mothers about infant feeding options. (C) Soc iety for Adolescent Medicine, 2000.