Vulnerable mothers' experience of feeding their preterm infant in neonatal care.
Elanie A Van Schalkwyk, Berna Gerber
PMID 34797109WHAT IT FOUND
Nine poor Afrikaans-speaking mothers described feeding their preterm infants in hospital as a stressful, progressive task aimed at discharge.
They felt pressured to express breastmilk and saw the infant's weight as the only measure of progress. Breastfeeding was a positive milestone, but all returned to formula at home.
Key findings
01Mothers experienced feeding as a stressful, progressive task tied to discharge goals, feeling pressured to express breastmilk and viewing infant weight as the primary indicator of progress.
02Breastfeeding was described as an exceptionally positive experience that helped mothers feel like mothers for the first time, contrasting with the stress of earlier feeding methods.
03All study participants converted to bottle and formula feeding once they returned home, citing work, infant preference, or their own preference.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (nine participants), limiting transferability. The study focused only on Afrikaans-speaking mothers with low SES in one public hospital in the Western Cape, so findings may not apply to other linguistic or economic groups. Data was collected 1 to 3 months after discharge, so it relies on retrospective recall of the hospital experience. The pilot study did not record exact birthweights, limiting detailed description of those infants. Information on participants' housing was not collected, which may have provided additional insight into their economic situation.
Declared interests
No specific conflicts of interest or funding sources are declared in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the mothers' preference for breastfeeding or their eventual switch to formula as evidence of the efficacy of any specific intervention. The study describes the mothers' lived experience and perceptions of the care they received, not the clinical outcomes of the feeding methods themselves.