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  • 'This little piranha': A qualitative analysis of the language used by health professionals and mothers to describe infant behaviour during breastfeeding

    Author(s)
    Burns, Elaine
    Fenwick, Jennifer
    Sheehan, Athena
    Schmied, Virginia
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Fenwick, Jennifer H.
    Year published
    2016
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life offers the recommended best start in the life for a newborn baby. Yet, in Australia only a small number of babies receive breast milk exclusively for the first 6 months. Reasons for the introduction of formula milk are multi-factorial including access to appropriate support and the woman's experience of breastfeeding. The language and practices of health professionals can impact upon how a woman feels about breastfeeding and her breastfeeding body. One aspect of breastfeeding support that has had scarce attention in the literature is the language used by health professionals ...
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    Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life offers the recommended best start in the life for a newborn baby. Yet, in Australia only a small number of babies receive breast milk exclusively for the first 6 months. Reasons for the introduction of formula milk are multi-factorial including access to appropriate support and the woman's experience of breastfeeding. The language and practices of health professionals can impact upon how a woman feels about breastfeeding and her breastfeeding body. One aspect of breastfeeding support that has had scarce attention in the literature is the language used by health professionals to describe the behaviour of the breastfeeding infant during the early establishment phase of breastfeeding. This paper reveals some of the ways in which midwives, lactation consultants and breastfeeding women describe the newborn baby during the first week after birth. The study was conducted at two maternity units in New South Wales. Interactions between midwives and breastfeeding women were observed and audio recorded on the post-natal ward and in women's homes, in the first week after birth. The transcribed data were analysed using discourse analysis searching for recurring words, themes and metaphors used in descriptions of the breastfeeding baby. Repeated negative references to infant personality and unfavourable interpretations of infant behaviour influenced how women perceived their infant. The findings revealed that positive language and interpretations of infant breastfeeding behaviour emerged from more relationship-based communication.
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    Journal Title
    Maternal and Child Nutrition
    Volume
    12
    Issue
    1
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12179
    Subject
    Nutrition and Dietetics not elsewhere classified
    Nutrition and Dietetics
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/101348
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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