Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed the baby (and undoubtedly the best). However, the fact that it is natural does not mean that it is always easy. For some mothers, there may be some problems that hinder their breastfeeding and for which they will need support to help them cope.
Fortunately, today there are many resources that you can turn to when this happens, and according to recent research, maternity groups in social networks are some of the best support to overcome the difficulties of breastfeeding.
This discovery was the conclusion of two studies conducted by a group of researchers from the University of Georgia, published in the journals Digital health Y Journal of Human Lactation. In them, it was analyzed if maternity groups on Facebook provided the necessary support for mothers to start and continue breastfeeding, compared to other traditional forms of support, such as medical staff or a family member, and how that support received through these groups impacted their breastfeeding.
In Babies and more The importance of maternity groups in social networksTo analyze this, surveys were carried out on 300 mothers who actively participated in breastfeeding support groups on Facebook, and conducted various focus groups to learn about their experience in those Facebook groups.
Based on their results, the researchers think that this type of exposure to other nursing mothers that are similar to them and that encourage them to breastfeed in public or to breastfeed beyond 12 months, it gave the surveyed mothers the confidence necessary to prolong the time they wanted to breastfeed their babies.
According to Ayanna Robinson, one of the researchers, the participating mothers said they liked to seek support on Facebook because the Access is available 24 hours a day, and there is always someone willing to help and that he has also had experience with any of the difficulties that arise.
Another advantage of these breastfeeding support groups is that the fact that they are online means that are available for mothers who have trouble finding face-to-face support for breastfeeding or found in isolated sites.
Many of these breastfeeding support groups, especially most of those they reviewed during the investigation, are moderated or administered by lactation professionals, so the information that is shared among users is based on scientific evidence.
It is important to clarify that the study focused solely on mothers of African-American origin, however, according to the authors of the study, The results of this research may be similar in all mothers, regardless of their origin or origin.
In Babies and more Breastfeeding is everyone's task: 15 testimonies of mothers with successful breastfeeding thanks to the support of their environmentWe have said it several times before: motherhood is easier when you have a tribe and With this research the utility of social networks is proven as a support tool for mothers who have difficulties with breastfeeding.
