Primiparous women's experiences of unwanted early cessation of breastfeeding: A qualitative study

Abstract

The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding of all infants for the first 6 months of life, but a majority of mothers do not succeed in complying with that despite an expressed maternal wish to do so. A lot of mothers undergo an unwanted early cessation of breastfeeding within the first 6 months postpartum, and primiparous mothers are at particularly high risk of early cessation. Thus, the aim of the study was to explore how primiparous women experienced an unwanted early cessation of breastfeeding. The study had a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with five primiparous women in Denmark, analysed using Kirsti Malterud's approach to systematic text condensation. The study was performed in line with the COREQ Checklist. Three main codes emerged from our analysis: (1) Not meeting expectations; what do others think of me? (2) Breastfeeding; an emotionally hard fight leading to feeling defeated; and (3) Healthcare system under pressure and being left alone with inadequate support. The women were left with feelings such as a sense of defeat, inadequacy, grief and a weakened understanding of themselves as mothers. Our findings provide important insights into how mothers experience early cessations; however, further research is needed.