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Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals

LYNDSEY HOOKWAY, Amy Brown Orcid Logo

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Volume: 36, Issue: 5, Pages: 1857 - 1873

Swansea University Authors: LYNDSEY HOOKWAY, Amy Brown Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1111/jhn.13202

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding is indisputably significant for infants and children, as well as their mothers. However, when breastfed children are admitted to the paediatric ward, they may experience breastfeeding modification due to clinical challenges, lack of staff training and institutional barriers...

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Published in: Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
ISSN: 0952-3871 1365-277X
Published: Wiley 2023
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64033
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However, when breastfed children are admitted to the paediatric ward, they may experience breastfeeding modification due to clinical challenges, lack of staff training and institutional barriers. Although previous research has identified multiple barriers to optimal feeding within the maternity, neonatal and community settings, we know less about the barriers that exist in paediatrics. Paediatric healthcare staff attitudes, training and awareness as well as ward culture are likely to have an impact on the experiences of families but are relatively unresearched in the paediatric setting, especially with regard to the multidisciplinary nature of clinical paediatric care. The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes, awareness and perceived barriers to effective breastfeeding support provision, as well as healthcare professional perception of barriers for families. Methods: This was a mixed methods study utilising a questionnaire which was completed by 409 healthcare professionals who identified as working within the paediatric setting. It included responses from paediatricians of all training grades, nurses, healthcare assistants and allied health professionals. Qualitative data from professionals were analysed to develop themes around professional and perceived parent barriers to optimal breastfeeding. Results: This study explored the barriers experienced by staff, as well as professionals' perception of parent barriers. These included lack of knowledge of how to help, a default formula culture, the pressure of maintaining strict fluid balance and breastfeeding being a low priority in the face of critical illness. Of the paediatric departments represented by this sample of healthcare professionals, most had a relatively poor culture of supporting breastfeeding, with multiple institutional barriers identified. Most professionals felt that there was not enough support for breastfeeding families on an average shift, and a large proportion identified as being one of just a few breastfeeding advocates on their ward. Conclusion: In this relatively motivated and experienced sample of healthcare professionals, there were many identified barriers to optimal breastfeeding which could potentially be addressed by training that is carefully nuanced for the paediatric population. Ensuring that paediatric multidisciplinary healthcare professionals have sufficient skills and knowledge would address the identified challenge of poor awareness of breastfeeding and of how to overcome clinical lactation obstacles. 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spelling 2024-08-20T15:41:49.2276215 v2 64033 2023-08-04 Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals 5b6a46f227828ab6507622903e48f98f LYNDSEY HOOKWAY LYNDSEY HOOKWAY true false 37aea6965461cb0510473d109411a0c3 0000-0002-0438-0157 Amy Brown Amy Brown true false 2023-08-04 Background: Breastfeeding is indisputably significant for infants and children, as well as their mothers. However, when breastfed children are admitted to the paediatric ward, they may experience breastfeeding modification due to clinical challenges, lack of staff training and institutional barriers. Although previous research has identified multiple barriers to optimal feeding within the maternity, neonatal and community settings, we know less about the barriers that exist in paediatrics. Paediatric healthcare staff attitudes, training and awareness as well as ward culture are likely to have an impact on the experiences of families but are relatively unresearched in the paediatric setting, especially with regard to the multidisciplinary nature of clinical paediatric care. The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes, awareness and perceived barriers to effective breastfeeding support provision, as well as healthcare professional perception of barriers for families. Methods: This was a mixed methods study utilising a questionnaire which was completed by 409 healthcare professionals who identified as working within the paediatric setting. It included responses from paediatricians of all training grades, nurses, healthcare assistants and allied health professionals. Qualitative data from professionals were analysed to develop themes around professional and perceived parent barriers to optimal breastfeeding. Results: This study explored the barriers experienced by staff, as well as professionals' perception of parent barriers. These included lack of knowledge of how to help, a default formula culture, the pressure of maintaining strict fluid balance and breastfeeding being a low priority in the face of critical illness. Of the paediatric departments represented by this sample of healthcare professionals, most had a relatively poor culture of supporting breastfeeding, with multiple institutional barriers identified. Most professionals felt that there was not enough support for breastfeeding families on an average shift, and a large proportion identified as being one of just a few breastfeeding advocates on their ward. Conclusion: In this relatively motivated and experienced sample of healthcare professionals, there were many identified barriers to optimal breastfeeding which could potentially be addressed by training that is carefully nuanced for the paediatric population. Ensuring that paediatric multidisciplinary healthcare professionals have sufficient skills and knowledge would address the identified challenge of poor awareness of breastfeeding and of how to overcome clinical lactation obstacles. Further improvements at policy level need to address the systemic lack of resourcing in paediatrics, as well as the lack of embedded breastfeeding-friendly organisational structures. Journal Article Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 36 5 1857 1873 Wiley 0952-3871 1365-277X Breastfeeding, breastfeeding barriers, healthcare professional, medically complex child, paediatrics 1 10 2023 2023-10-01 10.1111/jhn.13202 COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) Swansea University 2024-08-20T15:41:49.2276215 2023-08-04T09:49:41.3794734 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Health and Social Care - Public Health LYNDSEY HOOKWAY 1 Amy Brown 0000-0002-0438-0157 2 64033__28241__6b34c586ab394583a8cac4d26159711e.pdf 64033.VOR.pdf 2023-08-04T09:56:15.9832562 Output 634865 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2023 The Authors. Distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
title Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
spellingShingle Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
LYNDSEY HOOKWAY
Amy Brown
title_short Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
title_full Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
title_fullStr Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
title_full_unstemmed Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
title_sort Barriers to optimal breastfeeding of medically complex children in the UK paediatric setting: a mixed methods survey of healthcare professionals
author_id_str_mv 5b6a46f227828ab6507622903e48f98f
37aea6965461cb0510473d109411a0c3
author_id_fullname_str_mv 5b6a46f227828ab6507622903e48f98f_***_LYNDSEY HOOKWAY
37aea6965461cb0510473d109411a0c3_***_Amy Brown
author LYNDSEY HOOKWAY
Amy Brown
author2 LYNDSEY HOOKWAY
Amy Brown
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
container_volume 36
container_issue 5
container_start_page 1857
publishDate 2023
institution Swansea University
issn 0952-3871
1365-277X
doi_str_mv 10.1111/jhn.13202
publisher Wiley
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Health and Social Care - Public Health{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Health and Social Care - Public Health
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description Background: Breastfeeding is indisputably significant for infants and children, as well as their mothers. However, when breastfed children are admitted to the paediatric ward, they may experience breastfeeding modification due to clinical challenges, lack of staff training and institutional barriers. Although previous research has identified multiple barriers to optimal feeding within the maternity, neonatal and community settings, we know less about the barriers that exist in paediatrics. Paediatric healthcare staff attitudes, training and awareness as well as ward culture are likely to have an impact on the experiences of families but are relatively unresearched in the paediatric setting, especially with regard to the multidisciplinary nature of clinical paediatric care. The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes, awareness and perceived barriers to effective breastfeeding support provision, as well as healthcare professional perception of barriers for families. Methods: This was a mixed methods study utilising a questionnaire which was completed by 409 healthcare professionals who identified as working within the paediatric setting. It included responses from paediatricians of all training grades, nurses, healthcare assistants and allied health professionals. Qualitative data from professionals were analysed to develop themes around professional and perceived parent barriers to optimal breastfeeding. Results: This study explored the barriers experienced by staff, as well as professionals' perception of parent barriers. These included lack of knowledge of how to help, a default formula culture, the pressure of maintaining strict fluid balance and breastfeeding being a low priority in the face of critical illness. Of the paediatric departments represented by this sample of healthcare professionals, most had a relatively poor culture of supporting breastfeeding, with multiple institutional barriers identified. Most professionals felt that there was not enough support for breastfeeding families on an average shift, and a large proportion identified as being one of just a few breastfeeding advocates on their ward. Conclusion: In this relatively motivated and experienced sample of healthcare professionals, there were many identified barriers to optimal breastfeeding which could potentially be addressed by training that is carefully nuanced for the paediatric population. Ensuring that paediatric multidisciplinary healthcare professionals have sufficient skills and knowledge would address the identified challenge of poor awareness of breastfeeding and of how to overcome clinical lactation obstacles. Further improvements at policy level need to address the systemic lack of resourcing in paediatrics, as well as the lack of embedded breastfeeding-friendly organisational structures.
published_date 2023-10-01T08:27:22Z
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