Online Perceptions of Mothers About Breastfeeding and Introducing Formula: Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Although the benefits of breastfeeding are well established for babies and their mothers, many women give formula to their infants. Whether to breastfeed or to give infant formula is a complex decision to make. Many parents use the Internet to find information and support that relate to infant feeding decisions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the perceptions of mothers, who are discussing the topic on Web forums, about introducing infant formula. METHODS: This is a qualitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study on online data from parenting Web forums. The text was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in 1 main theme, “balancing between social expectations and confidence in your parental ability,” which is further divided into 3 themes: “striving to be a good mother,” “striving for your own well-being,” and “striving to discover your own path.” CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding is complex, and health care personnel can, with a more open approach toward formula, create better support for mothers by helping them to be more confident in their parental ability.