Supporting Adolescent Mothers to Make Infant Feeding Decisions: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

Abstract

During the perinatal period, mothers make decisions on how to feed their infants. Adolescent mothers can have additional challenges in the decision-making process (e.g., lack of autonomy, lack of support from professionals). We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis to explore adolescent mothers' experiences in making infant feeding decisions, identify their support needs, and understand the role of healthcare professionals in supporting them through this process. Following a systematic search, 51 studies were included. Thematic synthesis was used and identified themes and sub-themes. The four themes are: autonomy and the roles of others; changes in feeding decision making; mothers' self-efficacy in breastfeeding; and experiences of formal support from healthcare professionals. We found that adolescent mothers still have unmet support needs, highlighting the necessity for tailored assistance, including non-judgmental help, follow-up care and easily understandable informational materials to facilitate appropriate infant feeding decision-making.