Dissertation - The sociocultural factors that impede the duration of breastfeeding in the UK.

[mcclinkeyy]

Hello, my name is Helen McClatchey. I am final year student, studying Community Nutrition at Liverpool John Moores University. As part of my dissertation please could you complete a short, annomyous questionnaire (approximately 10-15 minutes) regarding the sociocultural factors that impede the duration of breastfeeding in the UK. All responses will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4176186/The-sociocultural-factors-that-impede-the-duration-of-breastfeeding-in-the-UK

Done, took less than 10 mins.
There was nowhere to elaborate on the form but my first was fed for 7 weeks and my second 21 months. I had educated myself more by the time the second was born which enabled me to carry on for longer.

I didn't answer the questions about which age groups are more tolerant of breastfeeding, because there wasn't an option to say that I didn't think age as a significant factor. I do think social class plays a part, alongside many other factors.

I also didn't answer the question about whether today's society was more tolerant of breastfeeding. More tolerant than what?

Your survey is full of leading questions and questions that are so imprecise as to be worthless. What does "do you think breastfeeding is more acceptable in today's society" mean? Does it mean breastfeeding is more acceptable than formula feeding? Does it mean breastfeeding is more acceptable now than at a previous time? Which previous time? You say your thesis is about breastfeeding duration yet you don't ask how the various (highly limited) factors differ or are perceived to differ over time.

The same applies for many of the questions. I struggle to see how such a poorly designed survey can possibly yield any information of use. I strongly suggest you go back to the design phase and start all over again, in consultation with somebody with strong social science experience.

Also, there was a question about support and information from hcps etc., but I think a major factor is support from within the mother's family.

I fed my dd for nearly 3 years fwiw.

I'm really sorry, but tbh I agree with sycamore.

Done. Bit difficult to answer last question on specify, it whizzed past without me answering

I've done it but found some of the questions odd - breastfeeding was the only option 100 years ago so of course it would have been more tolerated then than now.

I did answer the one on age groups but only because the only people that ever made me feel uncomfortable feeding were two 20ish year olds who were clearly very unimpressed. I was surprised.

Done. Less than 5 min
but i agree the survey is poorly designed

Done

Difficult to write responses though!

I personally have had more negative comments from older generations than from younger people

With dc1, I was asked not to feed in a restaurant, I got quite upset and spent the rest of the meal in the car, if That'd happened with dc3 I would have stood up for myself!

Personally, I am discreet and cover my boob, but that's my personal preference and I understand other women may feel that as breastfeeding is natural, then getting a boob out is natural, however I can understand people who object..

I have breastfed all my babies for 2 years (they each self weaned at 23/24/25 months) so I am very pro breastfeeding, however I have been made uncomfortable on a couple of occasions...

I was at a wedding, I was feeding my 6mo dc1 at the time (but I left the table and sat at the edge of the room - would have stayed at the table now with dc3, but was still a bit nervous back then!)
A women opposite me (didn't know her personally) suddenly flopped out a whole boob, it was basically resting on the table...only then did she get her baby ready for its feed (baby was around 15/18 months old - and I only say this because at that age, it's less crucial to do a feed right at that very moment)
So she's trying to position a wriggling toddler, with the boob going here there and everywhere! I personally think this is too much, and is the type of situation that gives breast feeding a bad name

Another boob incident was recently at my local library toddler/child nursery rhyme and story group.
A woman arrived late, blustered in and sat right in the middle of the carpet, surrounded by existing children, parents and toys, and proudly pulls her top down to feed her baby, with everything on display
We all tried to carry on singing, without looking at her. Very awkward

So I think the whole 'is breastfeeding socially acceptable' comes down to whether it's discrete or not.

Survey done- good luck with your dissertation 😊

Done....goodluck. Some questions were difficult to answer

Done, couldn't fill in the full answer on the last question because it closed but the midwife I saw during my pregnancies was the most amazing woman and helped me to get to grips with breastfeeding way before my first was born, I swear she was the biggest reason that I was so successful with feeding, hospital staff after the birth are so busy and over stretched I can see how hard it is for so many women to not panic and struggle when they are suddenly faced with the reality of a newborn.

For some questions you had 'specify your answer' but when I pressed yes or no the question moved on. I think a better formatted survey would give you better results.

As pps have said you won't get much benefit from any of these questions. In the question on how long you fed for the maximum option is 6+ months. Surely if you are looking at duration you need to know how long after 6 months. And why you stopped when you did however old the child.

Would be helpful to know how old the mother at the time, whether this was 1st child or 5th. Also had they had any negative comments and where and who from.

Your survey questions don't cover the full picture, for example i put that I breastfed for two weeks but there's nowhere to indicate that I'm still feeding my two week old baby. (Literally, he's feeding right now lol)

That data will simply suggest that I stopped at two weeks. I agree with others, some redesign needed. Good luck.