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. 2015 Jul 17;3(3):E305–E309. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20140113

Table 2: Positive and negative breastfeeding support themes.

Positive Negative
Knowledge: mothers felt the person had knowledge, skills and experience with regard to breastfeeding and could accurately identify problems
Lacked knowledge: the person could not identify the problem or could not see successes
Effectiveness: suggestions and support were effective in resolving the problems or ameliorating the breastfeeding experience
Ineffective: suggestions and interventions had no effect on problems or made the breastfeeding experience worse
Emotionally positive: the person showed care for mother and baby, were sensitive to emotional strain and did not add to the “pressure” of breastfeeding
Emotionally negative: the person was perceived as insensitive, increased feelings of pressure on the mother, and/or did not show compassion or caring
Accessibility: support was available and accessible when needed/solicited Unavailable/unsolicited: the person was either unavailable for support when most needed or offered unsolicited advice that was unwanted