A qualitative study on the breastfeeding experience of mothers of preterm infants in the first 12 months after birth

Abstract

Background Being a mother of a preterm infant (< 37 gestational weeks) puts the mother in a vulnerable and fragile situation wherein breastfeeding is an important part of becoming a mother and bonding with the infant. Nevertheless, the breastfeeding experience of mothers during the first year after a preterm birth has not been well studied. To develop professional caring and supporting relationships, it is important to address this knowledge gap. The aim of this study was to describe the breastfeeding experience of mothers of preterm infants from birth up until 12 months after birth. Methods The data in this qualitative study are derived from a multicentre randomized controlled trial where 270 mothers of preterm infants provided 496 written comments through questionnaires containing open-ended questions. The questionnaires were sent to the mother three times during the first 12 months after birth. A thematic network analysis based on hermeneutical philosophy was used to analyse and interpret the resulting data to describe the mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding. Results Three organizing themes, namely, “navigating smoothly,” “navigating with a struggle” and “navigating in ambiguity” were revealed in the mothers’ narratives regarding their breastfeeding experiences during the first 12 months after birth. These organizing themes were further interpreted as one global theme that was deemed “ A journey to finding one’s unique way in breastfeeding .” Conclusion Mothers of preterm infants are in an exposed and vulnerable situation when initiating breastfeeding during the first year. This situation leads to a unique journey wherein each mother navigates through breastfeeding depending on her individual situation. An awareness of the diversity of breastfeeding experiences may contribute to the provision of professional caring and supportive relationships. Trial registration www.clinicaltrial.gov NCT01806480 registered 7 March 2013.

Explaining breastfeeding experiences and assessing factors affecting breastfeeding self-efficacy in mothers of premature infants: a mixed method study protocol

“…The prevalence and duration of breastfeeding the premature infants tend to be lower than that of full-term infants [10], while feeding human milk to preterm infants may impact their long-term health and development [3,5]. However, the mothers of premature infants face various problems in the process of breastfeeding due to different causes that can lead to its interruption and cause problems, which have repercussions on the health and well-being of the infants [10,12,16].…”

“…5) The breastfeeding self-efficacy questionnaire: It was designed by Dennis (2003). This questionnaire is a 33-item scale and is scored by a 5-point Likert scale from always confident (5) to not at all confident (1). Scores range from 33 to 165, with 33-76 considered low self-efficacy, 77-120 average self-efficacy, and 121-165 regarded as high self-efficacy.…”

“…Breast milk protects one's health in childhood [1,2] and also provides health and wellness for the rest of one's life [3]. The importance of breastfeeding in various respects has been well recognized [4] It has protective effects on maternal and neonatal health, prevents multiple diseases and complications, and as a result reduces healthcare costs [2,5], Moreover, it helps establish an attachment between a mother and her infant and is a good strategy for the reduction of infant mortality [6]. Many national and international organizations emphasize the importance of breastfeeding [7,8].…”

“…The data suggest that breastfeeding is more beneficial for these infants and plays an important role in the development of their immune and cognitive systems [8,12]. However, research has shown that preterm infants are more at risk of not receiving enough milk and that the rate of breastfeeding success in mothers of preterm infants is lower than that in mothers of term infants [5,10]. This can be due to the fact that these mothers have a vulnerable and fragile situation which can affect their breastfeeding [5].…”

“…However, research has shown that preterm infants are more at risk of not receiving enough milk and that the rate of breastfeeding success in mothers of preterm infants is lower than that in mothers of term infants [5,10]. This can be due to the fact that these mothers have a vulnerable and fragile situation which can affect their breastfeeding [5]. Moreover, malnutrition due to the lack of knowledge or attitude in mothers of these infants can exacerbate their problems, such as cardiopulmonary instability, premature fatigue during feeding, excessive irritability, prolonged sleep duration, have been reported which are more frequent in them than term neonates [12].…”