Effects of lactation room quality on working mothers' feelings and thoughts related to breastfeeding and work: a randomized controlled trial and a field experiment

Optimizing infant neuroimaging methods to understand the neurodevelopmental impacts of early nutrition and feeding

There is strong evidence proper nutrition is imperative for healthy infant neurodevelopment, providing the neural foundations for later cognition and behavior. Over the first years of life infants are supported by unique sources of nutrition (e.g., human milk, alternative milk sources). It is during this time that the brain undergoes its most drastic changes during postnatal development. Past research has examined associations between infant feeding and nutrition and morphological features of the brain, yet there remains a paucity of information on functional characteristics of neural activity during feeding. Within this article, we discuss how neuroimaging modalities can be optimized for researching the impacts of infant feeding and nutrition on brain function. We review past research utilizing EEG and fNIRS and describe our efforts to further develop neuroimaging approaches that allow for measurement of brain activity during active feeding with greater spatial resolution (e.g., fMRI and OPM-MEG). We also discuss current challenges, as well as the scientific and logistical limitations of each method. Once protocols have been optimized, these methods will provide the requisite insight into the underlying mechanisms of nutritional and feeding impacts on neurodevelopment, providing the missing piece in the field's efforts to understand this essential and ubiquitous part of early life.

How Does the Breastfeeding Environment Affect Satisfaction? A Scale Development Study

BACKGROUND

Women need a safe and comfortable environment to breastfeed their babies. The quality of breastfeeding environments in social areas is important for women's breastfeeding satisfaction.

AIM

The aim of this study was to develop a measurement tool for the evaluation of breastfeeding environments and to examine the impact of the quality of breastfeeding environments in social areas on breastfeeding satisfaction.

METHOD

The first phase of the study was conducted in methodological design and the second phase in cross-sectional design. The draft scale was applied to 365 women who had breastfeeding experiences in social environments during the postpartum 6 months-3 years period. In the first stage, scale development analyses were applied. In the second stage, the developed scale was applied to 255 women. Frequency, percentage, Cronbach's α coefficient, and correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data.

RESULTS

The Ideal Breastfeeding Environment Assessment Scale, consisting of 23 items and four subdimensions, was obtained in the study. As a result of the application of the scale in the second stage, the mean score of the breastfeeding environments evaluated by the women was 23.43 ± 8.36. A statistically significant moderate-weak correlation was found between the ideality of breastfeeding environments and the satisfaction levels of women (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

It was determined that the developed scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to evaluate breastfeeding environments. As the quality of breastfeeding environments increases, women's breastfeeding satisfaction increases.

What Should a Breastfeeding Place in Public Spaces Be Like? A Qualitative Study on Women's Experiences

BACKGROUND

Mothers need a place in public spaces where they can comfortably breastfeed and care for their babies. The availability and design features of these places are critical for meeting mothers' safety and comfort needs while they are breastfeeding.

AIM

This study was conducted to examine mothers' experiences with breastfeeding places in public spaces.

METHODS

This study, which was planned as a phenomenological research, one of qualitative research designs, was conducted with mothers (n = 18) with breastfeeding experience in public places. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by the researchers. The thematic analysis method was employed to evaluate the data.

RESULTS

Study findings were examined under two main themes and 12 subthemes. Getting to the breastfeeding place was actually enough for many of the participants. Women who could not breastfeed for any reason in breastfeeding places stated that they came up with some solutions, such as breastfeeding in the car, feeding with formula, and not taking the baby with them. Participants' basic expectations about the breastfeeding place were that it met cleanliness, hygiene, privacy, and ventilation conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that women who tended to spend more time in public spaces recently encountered similar problems during the breastfeeding process. Breastfeeding environments should meet minimum standards such as cleanliness and privacy as well as having the necessary comfort, aesthetics, and decoration features.

Uncovering the Experience: Return to Work of Nurses After Parental Leave

INTRODUCTION

To understand the experiences of emergency nurses who have returned to work after parental leave, specifically relating to the return to work transition, work-life balance, work engagement, and opportunities to continue human milk expression.

METHODS

Nurses (N = 19) were recruited from 5 emergency departments within 1 hospital system in the United States Midwest. Nurses (n = 11) were eligible to participate in a one-on-one interview if they had returned from parental leave within 6 months of the interview date. Nurses (n = 8) were eligible to participate in a focus group if they had returned from parental leave within 2 years of the interview date. Interviews were structured and data collection concluded when researchers believed data saturation was reached. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's qualitative thematic analysis 6-phase framework.

RESULTS

Three major themes from the data were identified: (1) work engagement, (2) lactation, and (3) childcare. Work engagement was broken down into the subthemes: lack of communication, perceived engagement expectations, and actual engagement. Lactation was broken down into the subthemes: the act of pumping, lactation breaks, and lactation rooms. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic impact on return-to-work is described under each major theme.

DISCUSSION

Our findings provide insight into the unique challenges and experiences of nurses navigating parental leave and return-to-work in the emergency department. Strategies such as provision of managerial check-ins, return to work reorientation, lactation break coverage, enhanced supplementary lactation support, and leadership-provided accommodation may lighten the burden of these challenges and improve the returning nurse's job satisfaction.

Workplace impact on employees: A Lifelines Corona Research Initiative on the return to work

A large proportion of the global workforce migrated home during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It remains unclear what the exact differences between home workers and non-home workers were, especially during the pandemic when a return to work was imminent. How were building, workplace, and related facilities associated with workers' perceptions and health? What are the lessons to be learned? Lifelines Corona Research Initiative was used to compare employees' workplaces and related concerns, facilities, work quality, and health in a complete case analysis (N = 12,776) when return to work was imminent. Mann-Whitney U, logistic regression, and Wilcoxon matched-pairs were used for analyses. Notwithstanding small differences, the results show that home workers had less favourable scores for concerns about and facilities of on-site buildings and workplaces upon return to work, but better scores for work quality and health than non-home workers. However, additional analyses also suggest that building, workplace, and related facilities may have had the capacity to positively influence employees' affective responses and work quality, but not always their health.