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Health professionals’ perceptions of maternal obesity and how it relates to breastfeeding
Author(s) -
Dieterich Christine M,
Rasmussen Kathleen M,
Devine Carol M
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.849.5
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , obesity , medicine , psychosocial , affect (linguistics) , population , overweight , health professionals , family medicine , gerontology , psychology , health care , pediatrics , environmental health , psychiatry , communication , economics , economic growth
Obese women breastfeed for a shorter time than normal‐weight women, but it is unknown how health professionals (HPs) understand maternal obesity and perceive its effects on breastfeeding. We explored these issues using qualitative methods. HPs who care for pregnant or breastfeeding women were recruited in central New York. Interviews with 21 HPs were audio‐recorded, transcribed and verified for accuracy. Content analysis was used to identify themes. HPs identified “what is obese” based on BMI and weight cutoffs, as charted in problem list, and by appearance, which often reflected extreme obesity. HPs described obesity either as posing difficulties for BF or as being unrelated to BF. Benefits of obesity for BF were not mentioned. Whether or not HPs described maternal obesity as a factor affecting breastfeeding, nearly all discussed ways that obese women might need extra help or “tweaking” with breastfeeding. HPs regarded physical difficulties with positioning the infant as most prominent; and they speculated about psychosocial differences that could affect breastfeeding. These findings suggest HPs recognize challenges of BF among obese women with differing levels of saliency and could benefit from education about caring for this population. Funded by NIH (5T32HD007331) and USDA (Hatch 399449).