Breastfeeding Nursing Diagnosis

Breastfeeding is widely recognized as the healthiest and best way to feed infants for most mother-infant pairs. However, many mothers have difficulties with breastfeeding and switch to either partial or full formula feeding before the recommended age of 1 year. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed until the age of 6 months and that they continue breastfeeding while also eating solid food until the age of 1 year. The North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, or NANDA, has defined a diagnosis of ineffective breastfeeding for mother-infant pairs who face challenges in breastfeeding according to the AAP guidelines.

Definition

The NANDA definition of an ineffective breastfeeding diagnosis is the "dissatisfaction or difficulty a mother, infant or child experiences with the breastfeeding process." This can include physical discomfort as well as lack of knowledge or skill for the mother and poor weight gain for the infant.

Identification

The identifying characteristics of ineffective breastfeeding are almost any type of problem with breastfeeding. These can be problems related to the infant, such as not sucking effectively, not latching on properly or not wanting to latch on, protesting the breast, not gaining weight or not producing the recommended amount of elimination after feeding. Ineffective breastfeeding can also be diagnosed from problems related to the mother, such as continually sore nipples that last longer than a few weeks, insufficient milk supply or not allowing the baby frequent enough opportunities to latch on and nurse.

Effects

One of the most common effects of ineffective breastfeeding is a failure to breastfeed or to sustain breastfeeding through the recommended age. It often results in supplemental feedings of formula or early weaning from the breast.

Considerations

Many factors influence a breastfeeding pair's success in breastfeeding. Lack of support is a common cause of breastfeeding problems. Another common cause is offering supplemental feedings too early, before breastfeeding has been established. Mothers with breast anamolies or previous breast surgery have a higher rate of ineffective breastfeeding, and infant anomolies in the mouth or jaw can also impact breastfeeding success.

Prevention/Solution

Maternal education and family support are the important factors in promoting breastfeeding success. Mothers should be educated while still pregnant about the importance of breastfeeding and about breastfeeding techniques. Breastfeeding should begin within the first hour after birth, so it is important that caregivers do not routinely separate mothers and babies and that newborns be given the opportunity to suckle immediately after birth. If problems are suspected, the baby's latch should be evaluated by a qualified lactation consultant as soon as possible, and the use of artificial nipples or supplemental feedings should be avoided as much as possible to avoid nipple confusion.