A qualitative exploration of the media's influence on UK women's views of breastfeeding

Abstract

Background In the UK, rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months are at 1%, highlighting the need to encourage and improve the support provided to women to initiate and continue breastfeeding and to improve infant and maternal health. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the influence of media on the intention to initiate and continue breastfeeding. Methods This ethnographic study recruited 40 women; 31 with children and nine of childbearing age (19–28 years), with the intention to have children. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Five themes associated with sociocultural influences on breastfeeding perceptions and behaviour were identified: family influence, privacy, media as a double-edged sword, negative exposure to breastfeeding and planned behaviour versus experience. Conclusions Media influences strengthened preconceived notions of breastfeeding. Social media can play an important role in maintaining breastfeeding though support but can also put undue negative pressure on mothers who struggle to breastfeed.

The bidirectional relationship between breastfeeding and mental health

“…While it is important to promote the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding (Couto et al 2020), it is important that this is done in a cautious and compassionate way that provides information and support to mothers without judgement. The findings from this study, and others suggest that while well-intentioned, campaigns such as 'Breast is Best' may not be promoting breastfeeding in the positive and inclusive way that is needed by mothers (Keevash et al 2018, Srivastava et al 2022. Instead, encouraging breastfeeding alongside honesty about the difficulties inherent with breastfeeding and compassion for those who struggle may prove more effective (Keevash et al 2018).…”

“…Additionally, midwifery and health visiting services throughout the UK need to provide more tailored support and information to mothers attempting to initiate and continue breastfeeding (Norman et al 2022;Srivastava et al 2022;Keevash et al 2018). It is also imperative that services provide better mental health support to mothers who are experiencing either pre-morbid mental health issues, or who start to develop difficulties as a result of breastfeeding.…”

Does media content have an impact on help-seeking behaviors for mental illness? A systematic review

“…The powerful sociocultural impact of media is well-established; it has the potential to both positively (Nwachukwu and Anorue, 2019; Dunn, 2020) and negatively (Srivastava et al , 2022; Turner & Lefevre, 2017) influence the general public about a wide range of topics. Owing to the general public’s familiarity with media, media-based interventions are commonly used as education strategies (Garcia, 2022; Goodwin et al , 2021).…”

“Breast is best”… until they say so

“…Iceland is one of the countries with the highest breastfeeding rates, with 74% of women still breastfeeding at 6 months after giving birth and 27% at 1 year after giving birth (Símonardóttir, 2016 ). By contrast, the United Kingdom has one of the lowest figures in the world, the latest countrywide survey in 2010 revealed that only 1% of babies were exclusively breastfed at 6 months (Srivastava et al, 2020 ). Although there is no up-to-date figure about this period, a recent survey showed that just 48% of British women continue breastfeeding beyond 6–8 weeks (UKHSA, 2021 ).…”