ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2024
What supports mothers of very preterm babies to start and continue breast milk feeding neonatal units? A qualitative COM-B analysis of mothers' experiences.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Sustaining Breastmilk Expression and Direct Feeding at Breast for Very Low Birth Infants: A Qualitative Exploration of Parental Perspectives.Maternal & child nutrition · 2026Article
- Oral care with human milk is associated with increased human milk feeding and breastfeeding for newborns with critical congenital heart disease.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2026Article
- Differences between neonatal units with high and low rates of breast milk feeding for very preterm babies at discharge: a qualitative study of staff experiences.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIt is challenging for mothers who give birth very preterm to produce sufficient breast milk by expressing for weeks before their baby is able to feed from the breast, and then to transition from tube feeding to breastfeeding. Lactation is most successful when stimulated shortly after birth, established within 72 h, and maintained by expressing 6-8 times a day. This study explored mothers' experiences of how breast milk feeding and breastfeeding for very preterm babies can be supported by staff and the facilities of a neonatal unit.
methodsTwenty-three mothers of very preterm babies were interviewed, from four neonatal units in England with high or low rates of breast milk feeding at discharge. Interviews were analysed using the COM-B framework to consider how mothers' behaviour (breast milk feeding and breastfeeding) is affected by capability, opportunity and motivation.
resultsMothers' motivation in the traumatic situation of very preterm birth was strongly affected by information from staff about the benefits of breast milk for their baby, the importance of early and frequent expressing, and how to assess the effectiveness of direct breastfeeding. It was maintained through positive feedback about their efforts which built their confidence, and reassurance about what is 'normal' growth when a baby begins direct breastfeeding. Motivation needed to be supported by opportunity, including access to equipment for expressing and facilities to stay near the neonatal unit, and also by capability, which required proactive and skilled information and support from staff. Specialist support and facilities varied between units, and some mothers were not given necessary information or had their motivation undermined by staff comments.
conclusionsInterventions to increase breast milk feeding and breastfeeding for very preterm babies should address mothers' motivation, capability and opportunity, aiming for systematic elimination of obstacles. Mothers value personalised and skilled specialist support, but also need other staff to be able to give consistent information and affirmation focused on their efforts rather than their success, with a trauma-informed approach. Investing in rooming-in facilities that minimise the separation of mothers and babies is likely to overcome a key obstacle.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.