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. 2022 Jan;44(1):15-22.
doi: 10.1177/01939459211041164. Epub 2021 Sep 9.

African American Mothers' Decision to Discontinue Breastfeeding and Switch to Formula

Urmeka T Jefferson  1   2 , Amy E Reed  3 , Maureen Rabbitte  4
Affiliations

African American Mothers' Decision to Discontinue Breastfeeding and Switch to Formula

Urmeka T Jefferson et al. West J Nurs Res. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

After initiating breastfeeding, some African American mothers find adjusting to the demands challenging and discontinue breastfeeding. To learn about decisions switching to formula, we conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative interviews with African American mothers ≥ 18 years old. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis guided by the social cognitive theory. We identified four key themes that reflect personal, behavioral, and environmental factors: (1) simplicity of formula, (2) diverse support networks, (3) early breastfeeding is most important, and (4) lack of access to breastfeeding support resources. To increase breastfeeding duration among African American mothers, it is essential for interventions to be comprehensive including various strategies such as education regarding the physical aspects of breastfeeding, exposure to African American breastfeeding mothers, and active involvement of support persons. More research among African American mothers is needed to identify effective opportunities for change in cultural, social, and structural systems that impede successful breastfeeding.

Keywords: African American mothers; Breastfeeding; Decision making; Formula feeding; Qualitative research; Social cognitive theory.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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