THE MATERNAL NETWORK: FEMALE FAMILY MEMBERS AS PILLARS OF INFANT CARE AND FEEDING PRACTICES

<p style="font-weight: 400;">Universally, female family members play a crucial role in shaping infant care and feeding practices, yet their influence is often overlooked in maternal and child health research. The objective of this research is to analyze and understand the specific contributions of female family members in supporting women living with HIV (WLWH) and their infants in Lusaka, Zambia. This research is a secondary analysis of a qualitative study that was conducted to investigate the acceptability and feasibility&nbsp;of engaging family members as home supporters to support infant feeding and development and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. The mothers and their chosen home supporters were interviewed about current care practices, provided with tailored counseling&nbsp;about care and feeding, and given 1-3 weeks to practice the recommendations, after which follow-up interviews were conducted. The interview transcripts were coded using Atlas.ti, and a thematic analysis was performed to identify key patterns in&nbsp;participant&nbsp;responses.&nbsp;Twenty-three mothers&nbsp;completed all three interviews, and 15 male partners, along with 8 female family members (mothers, aunts, sisters, or cousins) were chosen to be home supporters. The results showed that female family members supported WLWH and infants by providing informational, tangible, and emotional support. WLWH frequently sought and were provided with breastfeeding and childcare advice from female relatives. Female relatives assisted mothers with ART adherence, breastfeeding support, household chores, and provided childcare in the mother&rsquo;s absence. Female family members also offered encouragement and reassurance to help WLWH navigate motherhood and their HIV status. This study highlights the diverse contributions of female family members in supporting WLWH and their infants in Lusaka, Zambia. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating the involvement of female family members in future maternal and child health interventions.