PURPOSE: Working from home (WFH) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to explore mothers' breastfeeding experiences of mutual responsiveness and perceived adequate milk supply in the breas...PURPOSE: Working from home (WFH) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to explore mothers' breastfeeding experiences of mutual responsiveness and perceived adequate milk supply in the breastfeeding relationship for the first 6 months after birth. STUDY DESIGN METHODS: Descriptive longitudinal qualitative design was used as part of a large study. Data were analyzed from a purposive sample of 25 breastfeeding mothers who returned to WFH within the first 6 months and directly breastfed their infant at least once a day for the first 6 months between June 2022 and August 2023. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze mothers' written responses to 4 open ended questions using an online survey, including breastfeeding experience at home, mothers' thoughts and feelings during direct breastfeeding, strategies used to resolve their breastfeeding problems, and breastfeeding support at work. Trustworthiness was attained by coding to consensus, peer debriefing, and maintaining audit trail. RESULTS: Changes in Breastfeeding Relationships When Mothers Return to Work from Home was the core construct and organized into three domains: (1) changes in breastfeeding when returning to work from home, (2) social support for breastfeeding continuation, and (3) maternal distress following return to work from home. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: For mothers juggling paid work while integrating direct breastfeeding with breast milk expression at home, it is recommended that nurses promote unrestricted direct breastfeeding when possible, including nighttime feeding, to sustain the breastfeeding relationship. This strategy will remain relevant in a postpandemic context.
PURPOSE: The purpose was to describe African American fathers' experiences and perceptions of their role in supporting their breastfeeding partners and identify strategies to enhance this role. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:...PURPOSE: The purpose was to describe African American fathers' experiences and perceptions of their role in supporting their breastfeeding partners and identify strategies to enhance this role. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Descriptive phenomenology guided the research process. Interviews were conducted with 12 African American fathers or partners recruited from community sites within the Southeastern United States between 2021 and 2022 whose partners had exclusively breastfed for at least 2 weeks within the last 24 months. RESULTS: Twelve African American fathers of breastfeeding partners were interviewed. Data analysis, guided by Colaizzi's analytic method, revealed three main themes central to the fathers' experiences in providing support: It's a Breastfeeding Journey, Like an Assistant, and Male Mindset Towards Breastfeeding, with relevant subthemes. Participants largely held positive attitudes toward breastfeeding, emphasizing infant health and bonding, but recognized the need for improved preparation for their role. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The study highlighted the significant beliefs and behaviors of African American fathers involved in the support of partners while breastfeeding. A cultural male mindset was exposed that advocates for male-specific education, more attention to couple intimacy, and privacy in public breastfeeding. Findings emphasized the need for culturally competent interventions to strengthen paternal support and improve breastfeeding. Nurses can use these findings to evaluate current practices and improve strategies aimed at engaging and preparing fathers for their role in supporting breastfeeding partners.
PURPOSE: To understand the prevalence of compassion fatigue among labor and delivery nurses and examine factors that influence their compassion fatigue. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional design. METHODS: This was...PURPOSE: To understand the prevalence of compassion fatigue among labor and delivery nurses and examine factors that influence their compassion fatigue. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional design. METHODS: This was a national study using the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) database to conduct an online survey of members identified as specializing in labor and delivery care. Demographic information was collected and relationships between these demographic factors and levels of compassion fatigue were analyzed. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Scale, Version 5 and The Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile, Version 2 (HPLP II) were administered to identify factors that led to compassion fatigue in L&D nurses. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-nine AWHONN members participated in this study. Healthy behaviors had a significant impact on compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress. These constructs were not significantly affected by age and years of labor and delivery or nursing experience. Demographic factors also did not significantly affect compassion fatigue or compassion satisfaction, but years of both labor and delivery and nursing experience did significantly affect secondary traumatic stress. Annual birth volume at a facility was not a significant predictor of these constructs, but number of adverse events reported per month was significant in nurses experiencing compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Debriefings can help mitigate the effects of adverse clinical events for nurses. A positive unit culture can promote a healthy work environment. Leaders should encourage labor and delivery nurses to participate in healthy lifestyle behaviors to counteract negative workplace experiences.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs
· 2026 Jun · PMID 42318829
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PURPOSE: To explore nurse perceptions of perinatal cannabis use, current nurse and patient education on perinatal cannabis use, and educational needs for nurses and patients on perinatal cannabis use. STUDY DESIGN AND ME...PURPOSE: To explore nurse perceptions of perinatal cannabis use, current nurse and patient education on perinatal cannabis use, and educational needs for nurses and patients on perinatal cannabis use. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a multiple-case qualitative case study. Using convenience and snowball sampling, we recruited perinatal nurses who worked in U.S. hospitals to complete an online interview. We identified themes and subthemes using Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis. RESULTS: Between July 2023 and February 2024, we interviewed 22 perinatal nurses divided almost equally among states where recreational cannabis was illegal (n = 12, 54.5%) and legal (n = 10, 45.5%). We identified five themes under the category of nurse perceptions of cannabis use: adverse maternal outcomes during pregnancy, maternal risks during labor, adverse neonatal health outcomes, acceptance of perinatal cannabis use, and management of physical and mental symptoms. Nurses reported on existing nurse education and patient education, with only nurses in states with recreational cannabis legalization citing specific patient educational needs. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our findings indicate an urgent need for development and implementation of nurse and patient education about perinatal cannabis use, particularly in states with recreational cannabis legalization.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs
· 2026 Jun · PMID 42318819
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BACKGROUND: At a tertiary care center in the northeast, the international board-certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) skilled at supporting families in the specialized NICU settings are nearing retirement age, necessi...BACKGROUND: At a tertiary care center in the northeast, the international board-certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) skilled at supporting families in the specialized NICU settings are nearing retirement age, necessitating a succession plan that includes education and preparation for the IBCLC exam and state licensure. PROBLEM: There was a lack of sufficient qualified nursing professionals to succeed the current IBCLCs. To become an IBCLC, prior to starting the role, the international board certification exam must be passed, followed by state licensure. The IBCLC role is more specialized in a neonatal intensive care (NICU) setting as compared with the postpartum unit, creating another potential gap in knowledge. METHODS: In 2023, a shared understanding of the need for continued breastfeeding and breastmilk feeding support, along with nurse education in the NICU, and succession planning for the IBCLC role created a collaborative effort between the hospital leaders, lactation consultants, and the union. Engaging stakeholders at various levels led to the successful initiation of the program. INTERVENTIONS: Sixteen applicants were accepted into the inaugural cohort. The program was designed to support nurses who chose the IBCLC pathway, including dedicated clinical time in the NICU, postpartum, and outpatient settings, and test preparation support. CONCLUSIONS: Support of nursing leaders and nursing peers who chose the IBCLC training was key. Of the 16 applicants, 14 have passed the exam. Two candidates are slated to take the exam next year. Three nurses secured IBCLC positions in the NICU and in the postpartum units. Other participants have stayed in their bedside positions, supporting breastfeeding across the hospital.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs
· 2026 Jun · PMID 42318749
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PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a hospital-based sleep hygiene protocol on sleep quality for high-risk women hospitalized during antepartum. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this quasi-experi...PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a hospital-based sleep hygiene protocol on sleep quality for high-risk women hospitalized during antepartum. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study on an antepartum unit in Southeast Texas, the control group received usual care; the intervention group received usual care plus a sleep hygiene intervention including education and a sleep hygiene kit. Outcome measures included validated sleep and symptom questionnaires, and sleep diaries over 7 days. Data were analyzed using t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and chi-square tests. RESULTS: There were 80 participants, 40 in the control group and 40 in the intervention group. They averaged 31.5 years and 28.0 weeks gestation. Both groups had clinically significant baseline sleep disturbances. Women in the intervention group showed improvements in subjective outcomes: waking up feeling pleasant, feeling refreshed, and spent fewer minutes awake on their final night. Anxiety and stress ranked lower as a sleep disturbance in the intervention group. No differences were found for global sleep quality scores or sleep duration. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The sleep hygiene intervention enhanced subjective sleep quality and patient experience. Structured sleep hygiene protocols provide clinically significant benefits for hospitalized antepartum women and lend support for use in routine patient care. Future research should include larger randomized trials with objective sleep measures.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs
· 2026 Jun · PMID 42257448
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PURPOSE: Stillbirth profoundly affects women and their partners. Caring for mothers after stillbirth is emotionally difficult for nurses; however, how the nurse feels and copes with this experience is underreported in th...PURPOSE: Stillbirth profoundly affects women and their partners. Caring for mothers after stillbirth is emotionally difficult for nurses; however, how the nurse feels and copes with this experience is underreported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of labor and delivery nurses caring for mothers with stillbirth. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative study using Husserl's descriptive phenomenology was conducted. Labor and delivery nurses in the United States who cared for mothers with stillbirth were recruited through the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses by email. Face-to-face interviews were conducted via Zoom from August to September 2022, until thematic saturation was reached (n = 9). Data were analyzed as described by Colaizzi's phenomenological method. The researchers independently coded transcripts, refined themes, and selected representative quotes. RESULTS: Five major themes were identified as nurses described their experience caring for mothers with stillbirth: bearing witness to grief, confidence over time, caring for each other, an honor and a privilege, and nursing presence. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: When nurses care for more than one patient during a stillbirth, their emotional burden increases. Peer-to-peer support helps nurses process their experiences and reduces feelings of isolation. Education and peer mentoring in bereavement care can build nurses' confidence and skills. Findings underscore the importance of institutional support for established perinatal staffing standards to help preserve nurse wellbeing and quality of bereavement care. Grief debriefs after perinatal loss are a low-cost, low-resource, high-impact intervention that offers emotional processing nurses.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs
· 2026 May · PMID 42160187
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Fetal and neonatal hyperthyroidism are rare, but severe, conditions caused by transplacental passage of thyrotropin receptor antibodies from a pregnant patient with current or past Graves disease. We present the case of...Fetal and neonatal hyperthyroidism are rare, but severe, conditions caused by transplacental passage of thyrotropin receptor antibodies from a pregnant patient with current or past Graves disease. We present the case of a late preterm infant who developed thyrotoxicosis secondary to maternal Graves disease treated with radioactive iodine, followed by a review of the literature, clinical implications, and best practices on the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal hyperthyroidism. We highlight the importance of finding the underlying cause for hypothyroidism during pregnancy, ensuring those with past Graves disease receive antibody monitoring, and neonatal thyroid function is assessed within the first few days of life, so timely treatment can be initiated if necessary.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs
· 2026 May · PMID 42160185
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PURPOSE: Given persistent racial disparities, we examined whether exclusive breastmilk feeding rates are lower in hospitals with more Black women giving birth and whether nursing resources moderate racial disparities the...PURPOSE: Given persistent racial disparities, we examined whether exclusive breastmilk feeding rates are lower in hospitals with more Black women giving birth and whether nursing resources moderate racial disparities therein. DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study used 2016 survey data from RNs in 256 hospitals linked to hospital-level data in California, Florida, and New Jersey. Multivariable regression modeling examined the relationship between the percentage of Black women giving birth at a hospital and the Joint Commission's exclusive breastfeeding rates. Models adjusted for nurse staffing, nurse work environment, Medicaid coverage, and Baby-Friendly Hospital designation. Interaction terms tested whether nursing resources moderated racial disparities in exclusive breastmilk feeding. Although the data were collected nearly a decade ago, persistent disparities support their continued relevance to today's health care trends. RESULTS: A 10-percentage point increase in the Black women giving birth at a hospital was associated with a 5.1-percentage point decrease in breastfeeding rates. Hospitals with top-quartile nurse work environments had 9 percentage points higher breastfeeding rates. Each additional patient per nurse was associated with a 2 percentage point decrease. No significant interaction was found between the racial composition of women giving birth and nursing resources. Baby-Friendly designation was not a significant covariate. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Exclusive breastfeeding rates are lower in hospitals serving more Black women.