The University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) has released new research shedding light on the complexities surrounding breastfeeding for new mothers and the importance of adequate support.
While health-care professionals advocate for direct breastfeeding as the optimal choice for infant health, they acknowledge the numerous obstacles many new mothers face in achieving this goal.
Dr. Heidi Sze Lok Fan, a postdoctoral researcher with UBCO’s School of Nursing, spearheaded a study examining the benefits and challenges of expressing breast milk, and its implications for both infants and mothers.
Dr. Fan’s research, primarily conducted in Hong Kong, a region with historically limited maternity leave, has provided valuable insights into the experiences of mothers who often return to work while their infants still rely solely on breast milk.
“In China, new mothers typically face a short maternity leave of 10 to 14 weeks, during which they are expected to establish breastfeeding routines,” explains Dr. Fan. “However, many mothers opt for expressing breast milk due to difficulties with direct breastfeeding or as they prepare for their return to work.”
Through qualitative interviews conducted at 1.5 months postpartum, Dr. Fan discovered that the majority of mothers who choose to express milk do so because of breastfeeding challenges or for greater flexibility in managing their time.
“While breastfeeding initiation rates in Hong Kong are high, sustaining breastfeeding poses challenges, with less than half of mothers continuing to breastfeed at six months postpartum,” Dr. Fan notes.
The study also highlights the benefits expressed milk provides, including greater control over feeding schedules and increased involvement of family members in infant care. However, Dr. Fan emphasizes that parents who opt for expressing milk tend to have shorter breastfeeding durations compared to those who breastfeed directly.
Acknowledging the importance of breastfeeding support, Dr. Fan calls for enhanced strategies from health-care professionals to assist postpartum women.
“Direct breastfeeding remains the preferred option, but expressing milk is still preferable to formula feeding. Strengthening breastfeeding support programs in the early postpartum period is crucial to ensuring all mothers can breastfeed directly for as long as they choose,” concludes Dr. Fan.
