Breastfeeding Initiation Among Teenage Mothers

Breastfeeding rates among teenage mothers in the United States is very low even though the United States continues to have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy among industrialized nations. Teen mothers represent a pecific cultural group among new mothers because of their cognitive and psychological immaturity compared with adult mothers. They also tend to possess different anxieties and concerns regarding breastfeeding than adult mothers. As a specific cultural group, teenage mothers require more concerted prenatal anticipatory guidance, better-focused lactation education efforts, and more face-to-face postpartum support to ensure that the breastfeeding rate among adolescents rises. While there is adequate literature regarding teenagers and breastfeeding, there is little research to indicate how nurses can work to improve effective and sustained breastfeeding among teens.