Beliefs about growth charts |
• Most mothers recognized the charts
• Few understood correctly how the percentiles corresponded to their child's weight
• Instead of percentiles, mothers were most interested in how much their baby should weigh |
Preferred information and approaches |
• Desired info on appropriate foods; breastfeeding; and ways to address difficulties, timing of feeding and other tips to help their baby grow healthy and strong
• Approaches include doctor visits, classes, flyers, brochures and videos in Somali language
• Written or video formats are useful reminders of lesson from doctor visits or classes
• Interpreter present if needed
• Mother combines doctor's advice, family, friends and maternal instinct to make decisions |
Provider/mother interactions |
Preferred provider characteristics |
• Listening
• Responding to their needs
• Empathy
• Advice on prevention and treatment |
• Repeat important information regularly
• On‐time appointments, sufficient visit duration
• Being asked to share their perspectives
• Explaining the rationale behind advice |
Doctor's advice |
• Agreement with provider's advice when saw positive benefits
• Challenge when contrasts with family and friends, tradition or maternal instinct
• Sometimes filtered advice through others' advice and maternal needs |
Mixed opinions of providers understanding of Somali culture |
• Some mothers believe that providers needed to understand their experience more, but that some progress has been made.
• A few mothers focused on appropriate infant nutrition and feeding practices for all infants in the USA. |