Peer-to-Peer Human Milk Sharing Through Social Media Groups: The Experiences of Women Donors and Recipients in Hong Kong.

AIM: To explore the lived experience of donors and recipients involved in peer-to-peer human milk donation. DESIGN: An exploratory descriptive qualitative study. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2022 and April 2023. A total of 50 women consisting of 34 donors and 16 recipients were recruited using purposive sampling from specific social media groups in Hong Kong that focus on breast milk donation and sharing. Data were analysed based on thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five key themes were identified in this study: Motivation; Milk sharing as a social act; Not a Norm; Recommendation to formal milk banks; and Formal donation as the preferred route. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate informal milk sharing is seen as an inferior alternative to formal milk donation systems. The establishment of formal milk banks is viewed as a way to address the shortcomings of informal sharing. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: The findings have implications for the healthcare field, particularly in improving the experiences of those involved in informal milk sharing. The insights gained from the experiences of informal milk sharers can directly inform and enhance the services provided by formal milk banks. IMPACT: Given the growing prevalence of online informal milk sharing, healthcare professionals should enhance their understanding of this practice. However, the practice has remained understudied, particularly in Asian region. This study brings together the experiences of both milk donors and recipients, providing a comprehensive view on the phenomenon. REPORTING METHOD: The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Building a baby-friendly community: Development, strategy, implementation and evaluation of a BFCI program.

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the use of baby-friendly community initiative (BFCI) model on various stakeholders in the community. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental research design. METHOD: The study was conducted in public premises and online workshops from April 2019 to September 2022. Participants were followed up for a period of 1 month, except for those employed at public premises. The program involved training based on an accredited BFCI framework to cultivate a breastfeeding-friendly attitude and knowledge. A paired sample t-test was used to examine breastfeeding attitude and knowledge scores before and after BFCI training among staff employed from public premises. An analysis of variance was conducted to examine the breastfeeding self-efficacy and attitude scores, measured repeatedly at different timepoints over 1-month timepoint (T0, T1 and T2) among pregnant and postpartum women. RESULTS: A total of 2340 perinatal women and 1339 staff from public premises were recruited. For staff, there was an increase in the mean score of breastfeeding knowledge and attitude by 5.8 and 6.1, respectively, at T1. Similarly, for perinatal women, there was an increase in the mean score of breastfeeding self-efficacy and attitude by 6.6 and 3.3, respectively, at T1. CONCLUSION: In summary, a BFCI model, with active community participation, accreditation and an award system, has been effective in promoting breastfeeding. Adapting the baby-friendly hospital initiative to local contexts and employing a social theory model can enhance breastfeeding promotion and improve infant health outcomes. Prioritizing culturally sensitive breastfeeding education is crucial for successful BFCI implementation. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Healthcare professionals should consider clients' culture and socio-economic backgrounds when providing breastfeeding education to maximize effectiveness. The target audience for breastfeeding education should be expanded to include various community stakeholders beyond families. IMPACT: What problem did the study address? This study addressed the problem of knowledge gaps among stakeholders in building a breastfeeding-friendly community, particularly in implementing a baby-friendly community initiative (BFCI) as part of a baby-friendly hospital initiative (BFHI). The research filled a service gap by providing effective interventions targeting community stakeholders and assessing the impact of a BFCI program on their knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding. What were the main findings? The findings highlighted the effectiveness of a BFCI program in enhancing breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes among frontline staff and increasing breastfeeding confidence among mothers. These findings contribute to the understanding of the program's impact on different stakeholders in the community. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? It impacts on global policymakers by providing insights for developing comprehensive guidelines for future BFCI implementations. It also contributes to the creation of a more baby-friendly community, benefiting breastfeeding families and their infants by promoting and supporting breastfeeding families. REPORTING METHOD: This study has adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines using the TREND reporting guideline. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER CONTRIBUTE TO THE WIDER GLOBAL CLINICAL COMMUNITY?: This study provides an overview of the establishment of a localized BFCI program. It also opens up a new direction for the community to investigate BFCI strategies for community stakeholders. It also provides evidence to support other countries in following a similar process, as each country approaches becoming breastfeeding-friendly in its own unique way. TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: No protocol.

Unveiling the voices: Exploring perspectives and experiences of women, donors, recipient mothers and healthcare professionals in human milk donation: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine and synthesise the views and experiences of women, donors, recipient mothers and healthcare professionals regarding human milk donation or sharing. METHODS: The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) meta-aggregative approach to systematic reviews of qualitative studies was adopted. Six databases, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus were searched. English written qualitative studies from database inception to February 2024 were included. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research was used to appraise the collected research evidence. RESULTS: A total of 629 papers were screened, and 41 studies were included in the review. Six key findings were synthesised. (i) Donors, recipients and their families all benefit from milk donation. (ii) Motivation to receive or donate breast milk. (iii) Awareness and participation are affected by formal vs. informal sharing, mothers' personal experiences and external factors. (iv) Concerns about disease transmission, jealousy, bonding and traits. (v) Challenges encountered by donors, recipient mothers, staff and milk banks (vi) Suggestions for promoting human milk donation. DISCUSSION: Stakeholders of human milk donation, including donors, recipient mothers, healthcare professionals, and human milk bank representatives, face various physical, mental and practical challenges. Informal sharing complements formal donations and contributes to improved breastfeeding rates. Advocacy and education efforts are still needed to increase participation and safety levels. The major limitation of the study is the inadequate search on views of immediate family members.

Effectiveness of layperson-based interventions in promoting exclusive breastfeeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of layperson-based interventions in sustaining exclusive breastfeeding and to identify the optimal characteristics of such layperson-led strategies for promoting exclusive breastfeeding. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using a comprehensive search in seven electronic databases from their inception to January 2024. Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias using version 2 of the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials. RESULTS: Out of the 29,703 articles identified, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. A total of 38,412 participants were included in these studies. The majority of the included studies utilized home visits as the intervention method. However, there is limited data available for other interventions, such as group discussions, phone support, short message service, and combined approaches, making it difficult to determine their effectiveness. Laypersons, with or without breastfeeding experience, were found to be effective intervention providers. DISCUSSION: Home visit interventions conducted by laypersons have proven effective in promoting exclusive breastfeeding. To maximize effectiveness, the content of home visits should be tailored based on the stages of pregnancy, and ideally, the duration of the visits should extend up to six months postpartum to sustain breastfeeding. REGISTRATION: The protocol for this review is registered on PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021235078). A major deviation from the protocol was the exclusion of network meta-analysis due to the small number of articles identified and the primary outcome being the exclusive breastfeeding rate.

Protocol of a systematic review and network meta-analysis for the prevention and treatment of perinatal depression.

INTRODUCTION: Perinatal depression is common and can often lead to adverse health outcomes for mother and child. Multiple pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments have been evaluated against usual care or placebo controls in meta-analyses for preventing and treating perinatal depression compared. It is not yet established which of these candidate treatments might be the optimal approach for prevention or treatment. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analyses will be conducted. Eight electronic databases shall be searched for randomised controlled trials that have evaluated the effectiveness of treatments for prevention and/or treatment of perinatal depression. Screening of articles shall be conducted by two reviewers independently. One network meta-analysis shall evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in preventing depression during the perinatal period. A second network meta-analysis shall compare the effectiveness of treatments for depression symptoms in women with perinatal depression. Bayesian 95% credible intervals shall be used to estimate the pooled mean effect size of each treatment, and surface under cumulative ranking area will be used to rank the treatments' effectiveness. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: We shall report our findings so that healthcare providers can make informed decisions on what might be the optimal approach for addressing perinatal depression to prevent cases and improve outcomes in those suffering from depression through knowledge exchange workshops, international conference presentations and journal article publications. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020200081.