The role of early years care providers in supporting continued breastfeeding and breast milk feeding. Issue 2 (14th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dombrowski, Lindsay; Henderson, Susan; Leslie, Joyce; Mohammed, Khadija; Johnson, Dorothy; Allan, Nancy
• Is Part Of: Early years. Volume 40:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 205
• Page End: 220
• Publication Date: 2020-03-14
• Subjects: Breastfeeding -- breast milk -- childcare -- early years; Early childhood education -- Periodicals; Early childhood teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; 370.7122
• DOI: 10.1080/09575146.2018.1430123
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-5146

Abstract

Abstract: This paper discusses challenges faced by mothers who seek to continue breastfeeding and/or breast milk feeding (B/BMF) whilst using daytime childcare, and early years' practitioners' attitudes towards their role in the support of these feeding practices. The data-set being reported comes from a small-scale feasibility study that was conducted in the summer of 2015 at a childcare provider site in a highly deprived urban area of Scotland. Focus groups with B/BMF mothers, as well as with early years' practitioners were conducted. We report data pertaining to where responsibility lies for facilitating continued B/BMF, and on the perception of practitioners' attitudes, knowledge about, skills and providers' facilities for B/BMF. We recommend that care providers actively engage prospective parents in a discussion about how they can support continued B/BMF. These original data are contextualised and critically discussed within the wider literature with special attention being paid to the concept of unintended consequences.