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Cited by 55Breastfeeding Practices and InfluencesInfant Health and DevelopmentInfant Nutrition and Health

Exploring Maternal Perceptions of Infant Sleep and Feeding Method Among Mothers in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

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Rudzik, Alanna E. F., Ball, Helen L.·2016·Maternal and Child Health Journal
DOI 10.1007/s10995-015-1798-7
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Abstract

Background In a context with strong rhetorical support for breastfeeding in the health system, yet extremely low rates of breastfeeding after hospital discharge, U.K. women's decisions about infant feeding reflect the reality of competing priorities in their lives, including obtaining adequate sleep. Popular wisdom in the U.K. tightly links breastfeeding and inadequate night-time sleep. Mothers are advised by peers and family to introduce formula or solid foods to infants to promote longer sleep.Objectives The first objective of this study was to investigate women's understandings of the nature of infant sleep and their perceptions of links between infant feeding method and sleep. The second was to explore how these perceptions influence infant feeding and sleep practices. Underpinning our work is the understanding that infant care choices result from trade-offs by which mothers strive to balance infant- and self-care.Methods We conducted seven focus groups with mothers of infants in two regions of the U.K. Verbatim transcripts were thematically coded and emergent themes were identified.Results We found clearly diverging narratives between breastfeeding and formula-feeding mothers. Breastfeeding mothers viewed the fragmentary nature of infant sleep as natural, while mothers who were formula feeding felt this was a problem to be fixed.Conclusions and practice The strategies used to promote infant and maternal sleep in each group were aligned with their underlying perception of how infant sleep works. Maternal perceptions of the nature of infant sleep and its relation to infant feeding method impact infant care practices in the first year of life.

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  • Women from previous focus groups described sleep disruption and fatigue interfering with their mental health, emotional stability, relationships, and ability to function.

    “Women spoke about the ways in which sleep disruption and fatigue interfered with their mental health, their emotional stability, their relationships with others, and their experiences of emotions and reactions that were out of proportion with the events around them, affecting their ability and desire to function.”

    From Development and evaluation of ‘Sleep, Baby & You’—An approach to supporting parental well-being and responsive infant caregiving (2020) · cites this paper as [4]

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Authors
Rudzik, A. E. F., & Ball, H. L.
Affiliations
Durham University (GB)
Corresponding author
Rudzik, Alanna E. F.
ORCID
Venue
Maternal and Child Health Journal
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2015-07-09
Volume
20
Issue
1
Pages
33-40
ISSN
  • 1092-7875 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-6628
DOI
10.1007/s10995-015-1798-7
OpenAlex
W1962192940
Cited by
55
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2014: 1
FWCI
3.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Maternal and Child Health Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/I030123/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
Keywords
infant sleep, infant feeding methods, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, maternal perceptions, nocturnal sleep, infant care practices, infant feeding decisions
MeSH terms
Infant Health, Child, Feeding Behavior, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Infant, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Mothers, Perception, Self Care, Sleep, Focus Groups, Qualitative Research

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