Scholarly Impact Report 2023

CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

Page | 67

THEME 3 – MATERNITY, FAMILIES AND PRIMARY CARE

Maximising the Output of Findings from the HRB APA PEEB Study

Ms Niamh McEvoy, Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN), registered for a taught Masters in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and submitted her thesis in June 2023. For her dissertation she used a dataset from the Irish Health Research Board (HRB) APA study commenced in 2021 (led by Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren Principal investigator PI). The study included participants (n=27) who inputted diary entries documenting their breastfeeding journey from the antenatal to postnatal period. Themes which emerged from analysis included: 1. Family Circle, 2. Conversations with friends, 3. It takes a community, 4. The value of a professional opinion and 5. Confidence with colostrum harvesting. This study presented mothers’ perspectives in relation to breastfeeding support both within their close support circle and wider communities. Mothers spoke to their friends to troubleshoot their problems and sometimes had negative experiences. Mothers reported partners provided emotional support despite their own concerns and were alternatively encouraged and undermined by their female family relatives. Mothers spoke negatively about wider community interactions with their colleagues and the public. Despite some mothers reporting a discord in information from healthcare workers (HCW’s), most mothers engaged positively with their HCW regarding practical advice and guidance. Mothers reported feeling reassured upon their attendance at support groups. Lead and Team Members: Niamh McEvoy Public Health Nurse, Kerry Community Healthcare Organisation; Dr Rhona O Connell & Dr Helen Mulcahy (Research Supervisors); Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren, Principal investigator (PI) Practice Enhancement for Exclusive Breastfeeding (PEEB) study HRB APA 2019-029 Project.

Practice Enhancement for Exclusive Breastfeeding (PEEB) HRB APA 2019-029 Project in Maternity, Families and Primary Care | University College Cork (ucc.ie)