Ana Beatriz Burman, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom Anastasia Papazafeiropoulou, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom Julie Barnett, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom Track: Research Presentation Topic: Communities in health care Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2013-09-25

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Background: The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises breastfeeding as the natural way to feed infants and young children. Babies’ benefits from breastfeeding include reduced infant morbidity from gastrointestinal, respiratory, urinary tract and less atopic illness. Mothers also benefit from breastfeeding including reducing postpartum haemorrhage, lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer, lower risk of ovarian cancer and enhanced attachment to the infant. However despite the benefits, in the UK only a small percentage of babies are exclusively breastfed. Mothers report lack of confidence, problems with infant latching and lack of encouragement and support as the reasons for non-initiation or discontinuation of breastfeeding.
Social support is known to have a positive impact on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. Research shows that breastfeeding women use the Internet to obtain social support, however little is known about breastfeeding women’s use online social support, their perceptions, concerns and expectations about using it. This study aims to understand the role of online social support amongst breastfeeding women.

Methods: Ten breastfeeding counsellors and 7 breastfeeding women were interviewed. In addition the researcher spent six months observing practices at breastfeeding support centres. Within a frame provided by social cognitive theory, an interpretive approach directed the analysis of the qualitative data obtained through these interviews and observations.

Results: The women in this research used Internet and mobile applications to obtain and/or deliver social support. The results indicate that in spite of face-to-face interventions being favoured, online social support is perceived as a helpful alternative source of support that positively influenced breastfeeding self-efficacy. A number of similar characteristics of face-to-face support were found to be present in online social support, such as emotional and informational support, empathy and empowerment. Online social support offered additional features to traditional support including convenience of use, connection with peers and supporters at any time of the day, and the opportunity to express emotions and issues textually. The women using this type of support demonstrated a high level of breastfeeding self-efficacy and had the opportunity to exchange social support with their peers. There were also some concerns associated with using online social support to support breastfeeding women, which need to be taken into consideration by providers of online social support. These included the need for training volunteers in this type of media, confidentiality and trustworthiness of the information available online and issues related to digital divide.

Conclusions: Peer support organisations as well as health care organisations are encouraged to develop online interventions that can act as an additional channel to reach breastfeeding women and provide them with support during their breastfeeding experiences. This is expected to influence the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding, consequently impacting the health of women and their babies.