Survey to support breastfeeding teen moms

JustAnotherNursemaybe, BSN, MSN · Oct 11, 2010

I know this doesn't really answer your questions, because I am not a nurse that worked with teen moms. But speaking as a teen mom, the support I received from the nursing staff where my daughter was born was the only reason I was able to breastfeed her. It made all the difference in the world for me.

Cujane · Oct 11, 2010

Thank you for your answer...and it is every bit as valid as a nurse's answer! What did they do that made it so successful? Were you planning on breastfeeding during your pregnancy? How long did you/have you been breastfeeding? Did you have support to breastfeeding after you left the hospital?

Your answers could very well help other teen moms!

anurseatlast · Oct 11, 2010

I am working on a project to study the influences of nursing staff on teens breastfeeding and to develop avenues to address the variety of issues that will likely arise from the survey. I know that there are a wide variety of attitudes and influences on this matter and would really appreciate any input that anyone that works OB can provide. The basic questions our research group is asking are:
How often do you work with teen moms regarding Breastfeeding? Never, rarely, sometimes, often?
I work with teen moms every day in a community based program. I talk to every pregnant mom about breastfeeding.

Do you have personal beliefs surrounding teen pregnancy/parenthood and breastfeeding? Please explain.
I have a lot of personal beliefs about teen pregnancy and breastfeeding but what I believe is not really important - what research says is the basis for practice. Breastfeeding is best for moms and babes regardless of my personal beliefs or experience.

What do you see as barriers with communication with teen moms and breastfeeding? Ideas on how to improve this?
Our society looks at breasts as sexual and this is especially true among teens. Many of them have never had any education about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding should be included in education on pregnancy and birth (like child development classes and sex ed classes). Health care professionals need to communicate that teen moms are just as capable of breastfeeding as older moms. Information on breastfeeding should be given starting early in pregnancy.
Do you find your role is different regarding breastfeeding with a teen verses an older mother, and how?
I currently only work with teen moms.
In general do you feel well skilled in dealing with teens and breastfeeding? Mostly, yes. I am also fortunate to have excellent lactation consultant co-workers to help when I need it.
What do you think are the main hindrances' regarding teens and breastfeeding? Misinformation (it will hurt, make your breasts sag, ...), thinking breastfeeding and bottle feeding are equivilent, not knowing how they can make it work with school, work, and other responsibilities, lack of acceptance of breastfeeding by peers and partners, getting free formula from WIC, embarrassment about breastfeeding in public
Any ideas of how the team of health care providers could improve breastfeeding rates in teen moms?
present breastfeeding as the norm
Provide information on the benefits of breastfeeding early and often
Educate the family and partner so they can support the mom with breastfeeding challenges
provide education on HOW to breastfeed (positioning, latch, etc)
give anticipatory guidance about common challenges related to early breastfeeding (engorgement, sore nipples, getting baby to latch, improving perceived milk supply issues)
encourage the mom to use the time in the hospital to get to know her baby, learn to care for her baby and to breastfeed including keeping the baby with her and doing lots of skin-to-skin (rather than viewing it as a time to get a lot of rest-REALLY, in a hospital???- or to have a lot of visitors)
Provide every mom with phone numbers to get help with breastfeeding questions before she leaves the hospital
provide a lot of support in early post-partum beyond the hospital. (Many babes are not seen until 2 weeks of age- many moms will quit by then) Ideally, they should see a health care professional in the first few days they are home but even phone support can help.
trouble shoot how they can make breastfeeding work in their life
Do not give formula to breastfeeding moms.

BrewerRN · Oct 11, 2010

I am working on a project to study the influences of nursing staff on teens breastfeeding and to develop avenues to address the variety of issues that will likely arise from the survey. I know that there are a wide variety of attitudes and influences on this matter and would really appreciate any input that anyone that works OB can provide. The basic questions our research group is asking are:
How often do you work with teen moms regarding Breastfeeding? Never, rarely, sometimes, often?
Weekly, fortunately and unfortunately. While I am glad that teens are deciding to breastfeed, I am noty happy that there are teen moms.
Do you have personal beliefs surrounding teen pregnancy/parenthood and breastfeeding? Please explain.
I do not let my beliefs affect my work. It does not matter what my feelings are, I am there to help new moms with breastfeeding, no matter their age.
What do you see as barriers with communication with teen moms and breastfeeding? Ideas on how to improve this?
Teens as a whole are "self-oriented", so my biggest problem is keeping them breastfeeding for a longer duration. it's tough to go back to school and pump.
Do you find your role is different regarding breastfeeding with a teen verses an older mother, and how?
Every mom is different. As a generalization, older moms are more baby oriented and will consequently have a longer duration of breastfeeding because it is good for baby.
In general do you feel well skilled in dealing with teens and breastfeeding?
Yes, very skilled. I have been a RN for over 17 years and I am a board certified lactation consultant/registered lactation consultant.
What do you think are the main hindrances' regarding teens and breastfeeding?
Their lack of knowledge of local resources.
Any ideas of how the team of health care providers could improve breastfeeding rates in teen moms?
I provide our local providers with staff development classes on breastfeeding, support groups fro their patients and breastfeeding classes for prenatal patients.
If you have any more questiosn or need to confirm anything, feel free to email me at [email protected]

JustAnotherNursemaybe, BSN, MSN · Oct 12, 2010

I was always planning on breastfeeding, but it ended up being a lot harder than I expected. My daughter was preterm so couldn't suck hard enough to nurse by herself. The nurse had me pump and then "finger feed" the milk while my daughter was latched on. It was the most confusing and difficult thing to do at three o'clock in the morning! The nurses were very patient and supportive at helping me get her latched on and then dealing with getting the tube in while trying to keep her awake. After we left the hospital, I had an appointment with a lactation consultant once a week, which was amazing for moral support if nothing else. I literally would break down crying because I couldn't feed my baby and she encouraged me and let me know that it was all going ok. My daughter officially began nursing by herself when she was 11 weeks old (16 weeks gestational age) and I just weaned her, at 13 months old.

Cujane · Oct 13, 2010

Congratulations Bethany for your success and kudos for your tenacity! Thank you all for your replies -- they have all been very helpful!

epilson · Nov 29, 2010

Hi, I am designing a project to promote, educate and support teen breastfeeding Moms. I saw your project and found it to be similar to mine. I am a Masters Candidate in Nursing Education, and thought maybe we could communicate and help each other.

thanks,

Erin

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Dec 4, 2010

hi, i'm a pre-nursing student, but was a teen mom. i was 15 with my 1st and 19 with my 2nd. i'm over 30, now, lol! i'd like to share.

i am working on a project to study the influences of nursing staff on teens breastfeeding and to develop avenues to address the variety of issues that will likely arise from the survey. i know that there are a wide variety of attitudes and influences on this matter and would really appreciate any input that anyone that works ob can provide. the basic questions our research group is asking are:
how often do you work with teen moms regarding breastfeeding? never, rarely, sometimes, often?
n/a
do you have personal beliefs surrounding teen pregnancy/parenthood and breastfeeding? please explain.
from my own personal experiences (15 years ago) some nurses allowed their personal feelings to interfere with their delivery of professional nursing care. (i need to also say that i now realize i have no idea if these rude professionals were all nurses or if some were ma's or even np's or md's.)
i didn't go for prenatal care until i was about 20 weeks. at my 1st or 2nd appointment, the nurse said, "when i was your age, i was playing with dolls..." while i was being weighed. that comment hurt and stunned me and i considered not going back to the hospital.
i think comments like this are a disservice to the mother seeking prenatal care. #1 - i was there alone without even my own mom. i had to leave chemistry class early (embarassing) and take the bus by myself (lonely). i was finally facing the fact i was pregnant and doing the right thing by getting prenatal care. i think comments like that may make another mom less likely to return for prenatal care. good for me, that i'm hard headed!
after my dd was born by c-section, due to prolonged labor/tachy heart rate, which was due to pitocin, they wouldn't allow me to see her until i could walk to her. in the meantime, they gave her a bottle of formula while i was in recovery. my daughter was over 8 pounds and extremely healthy and i don't believe a medical reason existed for them to deny me the opprtunity to see my dd and feed her. at the time, i was extremely concerned about my milk not coming in because she hadn't nursed soon after birth.
i was extremely hurt by the fact they didn't let me see her after i gave birth for several years. it occurred to me about 10 years later that they may have not let me see her as a way to be "mean" because of their personal feelings about my being a teen mom.
what do you see as barriers with communication with teen moms and breastfeeding? ideas on how to improve this?
i think adults and nurses should try to see teen moms as real people, real moms. teen moms need sound advice. i am most grateful for those adults who during that time said to me, "well, now you have to make adult decisions. here are some resources, tell me what your plan is." one teacher gave me 2 parenting/childbirth books and another adult told me about wic. one nurse made me schedule prenatal care and candidly answered my questions regarding childbirth defects relative to my being a teen mom-which weren't higher than the normal population. i am eternally grateful for those women and consider them to have been angels g-d sent to me during a challenging time.
my biggest thing question regarding nursing was - "can i breastfeed/will my breasts produce milk since i'm a teenager?" i just wanted to do the best for my kid, regardless of being a teen. i'm so glad i was told i can breastfeed.
do you find your role is different regarding breastfeeding with a teen verses an older mother, and how?
n/a
in general do you feel well skilled in dealing with teens and breastfeeding?
n/a
what do you think are the main hindrances' regarding teens and breastfeeding?
as an op said, some teens are very misinformed and ignorant as to what breastfeeding is. in my opinion, this misinformation exists to a similar degree among older moms. some women think it's sexual, some think it makes your boobs saggy and many people are in denial of the benefits.
i think another factor for teens is family pressure. since many teens live at home their parents or [sic] "in-laws" may force their beliefs upon the teens which may not be pro breastfeeding. when you are a teen mom, everyone has something to tell you. right or wrong. and if you assert yourself, you are considered to be "bad" even if you're following medical advice.
any ideas of how the team of health care providers could improve breastfeeding rates in teen moms?
education! just like with older adults. i personally think breastfeeing was easier - no bottles to make. it always made my kid stop crying. teen or young mom mentors they can identify with might be really helpful. wic had good counselors for me. la leche league wasn't so supportive of me at that time,but i do think they are helpful.
thank you thank you thank you for any help you can provide!

about me:

i was 15 and breastfed my daughter for a few months. i then supplemented with formula and my milk went away. then i read a book about re-lactating and breastfed and ff her until 10 months.

i was 19 with my 2nd and he never had a drop of formula in his life. :yeah:i breastfed him until he was 24 months, though he supplemented with whole milk starting at 12 months.

i was 25 for my 3rd and my husband supported me in exclusively nursing him until he was about 3!!

Cujane · Dec 6, 2010

You have all been extremely helpful for my project. In addition to the information from here and other nursing forums, we had interviewed many teenagers, male and female, that have not had children, to get a perspective and understanding of beliefs before the issue would even arise. We developed a great brochure and poster to hand out to teenage moms, designed to open the conversation on the primary issues and to give them avenues to get more information. As it was a project for a course, there is reference to that which would not be on a final draft. If anyone is interested in having a copy of this, we would be willing to send it to you. My personal email is [email protected] to request it.

Thanks again for all of your help!

Barb and Bronwyn