My name is Melinda and I am a nursing student from the University of North Dakota. I joined this listserv because I am interested in the education that nurses provide regarding breastfeeding. While researching on breastfeeding, I came across a few studies that were done related to breastfeeding practices of adolescent mothers. A study by Misra & James (2000) found that adolescent mothers are less likely to breastfeed and breastfeed for a shorter duration than their adult counterparts. Infants of adolescents benefit greatly from breastfeeding because they tend to be born prematurely and have low birth weight; however, adolescent mothers are not choosing to breastfeed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (2001) viewed adolescent mothers as lacking the maturity and skills necessary for providing appropriate infant care. It is recognized that the attitudes and intentions about breastfeeding are commonly present before giving birth. According to Brownell, et al. (2002) information
on breastfeeding should be included in school curriculum, to make teens aware of the benefits and ways to overcome the negative aspects of breastfeeding that they foresee.

Through archive searches I saw that the number of breastfeeding adolescent mothers was indeed lower in the past. Are you still seeing the same trend in your practice? Also, how do you find it best to educate and approach them regarding breastfeeding? Lastly, are you aware if schools are beginning to include breastfeeding in the curriculum? Thank you in advance for any information, it is greatly appreciated.

Melinda
University of North Dakota

Brownell, K., Hutton, L., Hartman, J. & Dabrow, S. (2002). Barriers to breastfeeding among African American adolescent mothers. Clinical Pediatrics, 41(9): 669-673.

Kaplan, D.W., Feinstein, R.A., Fisher, M.M., Klein, J.D., et al. (2001). Care of adolescent parents and their children. Pediatrics, 107(2): 429-434.

Misra, R. & James, D. (2000). Breast-feeding practices among adolescent and adult mothers in the Missouri WIC population. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 100(9): 1071-1073.

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