Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The benefits of breastfeeding are widely known and documented, yet
breastfeeding rates at six months have remained well below desired levels. In order to
fully understand the breastfeeding experience in the early postpartum period and all the
intricacies involved, researchers need to provide mothers with the opportunity to talk
about their experiences during the time when there are the most difficulties and when
they are most likely to discontinue, the first four weeks postpartum.
The purpose of this study was to more fully understand, in their own words, the
experiences of mothers who began breastfeeding their infant after birth and may or may
not have been breasting at four weeks postpartum. A single research question guided this
study: What are the lived experiences of breastfeeding mothers during the first four
weeks postpartum? Eight mothers who delivered in the past four to six weeks were
interviewed. Data were analyzed using a Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological
approach. This method was chosen because it allowed the researcher to conduct
interviews and explore the lived experience of breastfeeding mothers and to uncover the
concealed meaning within the phenomena. This methodology provided a richness that
might not be possible through description alone.
The narratives shared by the mothers demonstrated that initiating breastfeeding
and sustaining it in the early postpartum period was a complex process. Each mother’s
breastfeeding experience was unique to her but also similar to someone else’s. The
overall constitutive pattern of Getting the Hang of It was selected and consisted of four
themes and nine subthemes. The four themes included: Physical Experiences, Emotional
Complexities, Infant Involvement in Breastfeeding Process, and Support. These themes
and their subsequent subthemes provide insight into the complexities experienced by
mothers in order to acquire the skills they needed to breastfeed their infants.
Breastfeeding mothers, who have had favorable and unfavorable experiences, are
willing to share a wealth of information. Health professionals should encourage mothers
to talk about their experiences and listen to what they are saying. Through listening they
can provide mothers with the resources and support needed to meet their breastfeeding
goals.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:IUPUI/oai:scholarworks.iupui.edu:1805/25994 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Rosales, Stacy Ann |
| Contributors | Stiffler, Deborah, Bute, Jennifer J., Shieh, Carol, Wallace, Linda S. |
| Source Sets | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
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