P3.B024: A Qualitative Assessment of the Feed, Read, and Grow Virtual Lactation Support Group and Resource Center in Roanoke Public Libraries, Roanoke, VA

Purpose/Objectives: In southwest Virginia, close to 25% of Roanoke residents live in poverty, including over 30% of Roanoke children, indicating a significant local need for lactation support. Our survey of nursing parents participating in the initial, in-person Feed, Read, and Grow (FRG) lactation support group assessed the program’s effectiveness and generated feedback to improve and enlarge subsequent offerings in the Roanoke, VA area.

Design/Methods: We conducted an impact evaluation of the FGR’s initial program in Roanoke, VA, assessing participants’ experiences of the FRG’s in-person lactation support meetings via a qualitative post-course survey. Survey questions were designed to measure the program’s ability to educate our target population of breastfeeding mothers and enhance their support networks. We collected participants' demographics and the ages of their infants. Participants self-reported the style and duration of their chosen feeding method(s) - including exclusive breastfeeding (nursing) and/or bottle feeding formula, expressed breastmilk, or a combination of both. We collected the participants’ perceptions of the FRG meetings in regards to the programming content and social networking opportunities.

Results: The survey results indicated 67% of the nine participants had children between 0 – 24 months of age at the time of attending the FRG meetings. 33% of the participants reported breastfeeding their infants for 0-6 months, 33% reported breastfeed for between 7-12 months, and the final 33% reported breastfeeding for >13 months. While the program is aimed at new mother-baby dyads, all mothers and infants are welcome to participate in the six week program. Over 75% of the program’s participants reported gaining social support around breastfeeding through the program. Encouragingly, 100% of the participants highly recommended the FRG program and 100% reported they would implement what they learned.

Conclusion/Discussion: The FRG Virtual Lactation Support Group and Resource Center was designed and implemented to strengthen breastfeeding mothers’ social networks and empower them through the expert advice of both lactation specialists and community members’ personal experiences with breastfeeding in Roanoke, VA. The quality improvement information gathered by our survey showed that participants were eager for the social connection, increased knowledge, and support that came from participating in the FRG. The data generated by these analyses are directly shaping the future programming of the FRG program, allowing for better advertisement and recruitment of additional participants. We intend to collect demographic information as part of pre- and post-quality improvement program surveys for all future attendees to continue to gauge participants’ needs and the success of the program as a resource to nursing mothers.