Healthy Child Programme: final report

Respondents were provided with the draft feeding status headings and asked if they were appropriate. The results are provided in the following table:

Feeding status headings appropriate?	Number	%
Yes	345	65%
No	145	28%
Unsure	37	7%

N: 527

Thematic analysis of the qualitative responses identified one common theme; that it is important to know the method by which the baby is fed. The recommendation is that the ‘alternative feeding methods’ heading is amended to ‘feeding method’ to include whether the baby is breast fed, bottle/cup fed in addition to the alternative feeding methods (gastrostomy, nasogastric feeds etc.).

Respondents were provided with the following options for feeding status and asked if the list was appropriate:

• Totally breast milk fed
• Partially breast milk fed
• Not breast fed

Thematic analysis of the qualitative responses identified a theme which was to reference formula milk feeding. The project team recommendation is to change the ‘feeding status of the baby’ to ‘milk feeding status of the baby’. Public health professionals requested the following options were included:

• Totally breast milk fed
• Partially breast milk fed
• Not breast milk fed