2. Methodology
The first phase of the methodology comprised in-depth interviews and focus groups whose end objective
was the construction of the scales to be included on the questionnaire and to raise the main topics of
discussion regarding breastfeeding, formula milk and barriers to breastfeeding. That qualitative phase as
followed by a quantitative phase to draw up the questionnaire and this work used a sample of 311
breastfeeding mothers. The sample was selected at random from the maternal hospital of the city of Las
Palmas de Gran Canaria (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Maternity Hospital), with proportional
stratification according to the size of each status in terms of social class and age. The fieldwork took place
in the Hospital and in five of the city’s Family Medical Centres in Autumn, 2008. The field work of this
research was completed thanks to the work of two research interns and three nurses at the Maternity
Hospital, as well as that of volunteers from the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers.