Date Presented

Spring 4-2026

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Dr. Beth McKinney

Second Advisor

Ms. Colby Takacs

Third Advisor

Dr. Paul McClure

Abstract

About 83.2% of infants receive breast milk when first born, and then at three months, this number drops to 69.2%, again at six months, it drops to 55.8% (CDC, 2024). It is also noted that Central Virginia lags behind this national average. Based on this data, it has been discovered that some families do not breastfeed for as long as they intended to because of some unforeseen challenges or struggles that they were not aware of, like discomfort, time management, and stress. There are some mothers who end up in early cessation of breastfeeding because they were not properly equipped with the right knowledge, skills, and resources for breastfeeding. These moms who run into the roadblocks of struggles they were not aware of, such as depression, anxiety, time management issues, or babies struggling to latch, are much more likely not to breastfeed as long as they want to and could form certain mental illnesses like postpartum depression, anxiety, or guilt. As healthcare professionals, our job is to properly deal with the early cessation of breastfeeding so that we can see a decrease in unequipped mothers who want to breastfeed. The purpose of this research study is to gather information on the perceptions of breastfeeding from mothers and analyze the need for education and awareness in breastfeeding so that the proper interventions can be put in place. These interventions would provide mothers with the knowledge and skills, such as positioning for a latch, identifying signals, and manual milk expression, necessary for a successful breastfeeding journey. By focusing on these core techniques, help mothers move past the 'learning curve' so they can feel certain they are providing for their baby in the best way possible

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