Perceived facilitators and barriers towards acceptability of human milk sharing among mothers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Objective To explore the facilitators and barriers towards participating in or rejecting human milk sharing among the mothers of infants below six months of age. Methods This study employed a mixed‐methods, cross‐sectional study design. Participants were 279 mothers, enrolled from five health institutions having specialised child health‐care services, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from December 2021 to January 2022. Quantitative data were collected by a pretested semistructured questionnaire, while qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions. Results Of all the participants, only 22.9% reported practising milk sharing. Those mothers who practised milk sharing were more likely to have >1 living child, delivered via caesarean birth, gave birth to preterm babies, and had newborns with birth weights <2500 g. The perceived facilitators identified for human milk sharing included helping babies in need, acknowledging the benefits of breastmilk, avoiding wastage, and supporting peers who were unable to breastfeed. Conversely, the most important barriers to sharing mentioned were, the need for permission from husband/family members, discomfort while sharing milk, wide availability of breast milk substitutes, and the establishment of milk kinship. Conclusions The findings underpin the key socio‐cultural and religious aspects in the acceptability of human milk sharing, and the importance of involving health professionals, mass media resources, and community, religious and social leaders when designing practical and culturally sensitive interventions to motivate mothers to overcome milk sharing hesitancy in Bangladesh.