Information Seeking Needs of Mothers Who Bottle-Feed Their Young Infants: How the Information Seeking Process Affects Them and What Libraries Can Do to Help Them.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study is to examine the information seeking experiences of mothers who bottle feed young infants. What are their information needs and how do they seek to fill them? What emotional impact does the information seeking process have on this group? What role can Libraries play in helping this group find information?

Methodology: This research utilises Dervin's sense-making methodology. At the heart of sensemaking is the situation-gap-outcome triangle. Kuhlthau's uncertainty principle is also used to help analyse the results and understand the connection between emotion and information seeking. Other research is also used to understand the experiences of the interviewees and place them in a wider context.

Results: Mothers who bottle-feed young infants often feel guilt and anger. They are often unprepared for bottle-feeding, especially if they planned to breast-feed, and access to information on bottle-feeding is limited. Health professionals are sometimes reluctant to provide information on bottle-feeding. Informal information sources, such as family, friends and other mothers, are very important. There is little awareness that Libraries are able to provide information on bottle-feeding even among mothers who are frequent Library users. Libraries can best support bottle-feeding mothers by becoming inclusive community spaces for mothers to meet and share information.