Breast/chest feeding Support: Critically Analyzing a Canadian Policy Guiding Nursing Practice

Hermandeep Deo; Emmanuela Ojukwu; Geertje Boschma

doi:10.25071/2291-5796.147

Authors

Hermandeep Deo Fraser Health Authority https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5864-7208
Dr. Emmanuela Ojukwu University of British Columbia
Dr. Geertje Boschma University of British Columbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5572-0601

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25071/2291-5796.147

Keywords:

breastfeeding

Abstract

The World Health Organization has identified the importance of improving the rates of breast/chest feeding for population health. Canadian health organizations have put public health resources toward breast/chest feeding support. Despite statements of purpose describing health promotional interventions to be focused on improving overall population health, many times these methods are based only upon biomedical knowledge and fail to adequately address the needs of diverse populations. Thus, in this paper we critique a Canadian policy providing clinical guidance to care providers through the application of a relational inquiry framework. We draw on the first author’s experience as a Public Health Nurse delivering breast/chest feeding support within the scope of these guidelines to further illustrate the point. The results from published evidence are integrated within this critique to provide an evidence base for policy improvement recommendations to improve the social, cultural, and political components of breast/chest feeding typically overlooked in current standards.

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Author Biographies

Hermandeep Deo, Fraser Health Authority

Hermandeep recently completed a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of British Columbia. She currently works as a Registered Nurse with the Fraser Health Authority, where she has worked as a Public Health Nurse providing maternal/infant care and breastfeeding support.

Dr. Emmanuela Ojukwu, University of British Columbia

Dr. Ojukwu is an Assistant Professor for the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Ojukwu’s research intersects through major aspects of health including: racial and gender health disparities, minority health, maternal-infant health, sexual health, social determinants of health, management of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases, health promotion, among others.

Dr. Geertje Boschma, University of British Columbia

Dr. Geertje Boschma is a Professor for the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Boschma studies nursing and health care history, with special emphasis on mental health and the transition to community mental health in the latter half of the 20th century. She explores the ways nurses, clients and families have experienced changes in mental health care and contributed to them. Her research includes oral history approaches to capture people’s health experience and to examine the social context and complexity of nursing work and knowledge.

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