Hello, I am a nursing student at the University of North Dakota. I am
enrolled in the expectant mother program. The mother I am following is
rather ambivalent about breastfeeding. I know from my reading that there
are factors that decrease duration and initiation about breastfeeding.
Included in these were a younger age at conception and
smoking (Piper & Parks, 1996). She indeed has both of these risk factors.
        I have also read that a big influence on breastfeeding is social support.
Raj and Plichta state in an article that mothers and friends are an
important source of support (1998). I tried to go this route for support
and found out the grandmother (who is a RN) is also ambivalent and didn't
breastfeed her children. The friend of the mother was telling her it may
be good for the baby but it is too hard too.
        My question is what else is there I can do. I have given her pamphlets and
did patient education on the great health effects of the baby. She stated
that she knew these things and that was the only reason she was trying it
in the first place. I have also explained the monetary benefits of BF. I
explained that according to 1993 data from the American Academy of
Pediatrics Work Group of Breastfeeding the cost of breastfeeding (even with
increased food intake by mother) for a year was at least 400 dollars less
then formula food (1997). She is going to try and breastfeed but I am
worried that it isn't going to work.  I was wondering if anybody has some
extra litttle pointers of things I could do to make her "try" at
breastfeeding successful.
Tricia Blumer
        American Academy of Pediatrics Work Group On Breastfeeding (1997).
Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 100 6, 1035.
        Piper, S. & Parks, P. L. (1996). Predicting the duration of lactation:
Evidence from a national survey. Birth, 23 1, 7.
        Raj, V. K. & Plichta, S. B. (1998). The role of social support in
breastfeeding promotion: A literature review. Journal of Human Lactation,
14, 41.

Tricia Blumer SN
From the wonderfully warm state of ND

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