If so, Felicie Young, a graduate student at Memorial University, wants to talk to you.
Young is currently working on her master’s degree in education in counselling psychology.
Her thesis work involves assisting on a research project for the Breastfeeding Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Young said most research on breastfeeding, like a study the coalition completed two years ago, tends to focus on women who are breastfeeding or those that have breastfed.
“There hasn’t really been that much that’s focused only on women who haven’t breastfed or have bottle-fed.”
Young said that is a bit surprising because traditionally the majority of Newfoundland women have fed their babies with formula or Carnation milk.
Mother’s in the study two years ago were pretty adamant that their own mothers had been a major source of advice and support for them in their feeding choices.
Because of this the coalition thought why not go back and look at the grandmothers themselves.
“And see where they were coming from and what some of their experiences were,” said Young.
Fill a gap
She said the resulting information will fill a gap in the literature that’s out there on infant feeding.
Since last September Young has been holding focus groups and interviewing grandmothers around the province.
She’s held three focus groups on the east coast — one in an urban area and two in rural areas — and would like to reach out to grandmothers on the west coast.
She said even getting five women together for about an hour would be great.
“We’re just hoping to find the attitudes and the perceptions of grandmothers in regards to infant feeding.”
“What it was like for them when they fed their babies, who supported them and who gave them advice.
“And in turn did they discuss it with their daughters or how did they kind of support their daughters as well.”
From the work completed so far Young has heard about the use of Carnation milk and goats milk and how advice given over the years came from participants own mothers, aunts and sisters.
“Breastfeeding was not something that was even thought of or talked about or heard of really.”
In terms of what these women told their own daughters the overall theme tends to be that grandmothers will support their daughters in whatever choices they make.
“Whether it’s different from the choice that they made or the same choice.
“They’re kind of supportive of them either way and they realize it’s a difficult part of your life and you just need support and help.”
Anyone interested in talking with Young can contact her by email at f.young@mun.ca or by phone at 709-699-7078.
dcrocker@thewesternstar.com
Twitter: WS_DianeCrocker
