Health and Social Care Research Centre, College of Health and Social Care, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
College of Life and Natural Sciences, School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
Health Care Women Int. 2021;42(4-6):739-755. doi: 10.1080/07399332.2020.1744147. Epub 2020 Apr 1.
The health benefits of breastfeeding are well documented and current recommendations are that women should breastfeed their child for two years and beyond. Despite this the UK has the lowest initiation breastfeeding rates in the world. Additionally, a considerably small percentage of women who do successfully initiate go on to breastfeed past infancy. This could in part be explained by the lack of support women receive when breastfeeding an older child. In this study we provide insight into women's experiences of healthcare interventions during the transition from breastfeeding an infant to a toddler. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 women with experience of breastfeeding at least one child past the age of twelve months. We used a theory driven thematic analysis to identify pertinent themes that ran through the interviews. As mothers progressed through their breastfeeding journey they faced increased social stigma. They also experienced a change in attitudes from healthcare professionals as support was replaced by judgement. This negatively impacted upon trust in healthcare professionals and the advice they offered. In response, the women turned to volunteering organizations and closed social media groups for emotional support and healthcare advice. These women experienced specific issues regarding breastfeeding in toddlerhood as opposed to infancy. They needed specialized interventions tailored for this. Social media was highlighted as a useful platform for supporting women who breastfeed beyond infancy. It allowed these women to feel part of a supportive international community and gain access to practical advice. Healthcare professionals should explore ways to engage in digital platforms to provide support to mothers' breastfeeding beyond infancy.
母乳喂养对健康的益处有充分的记录，目前的建议是女性应该母乳喂养她们的孩子两年及以上。尽管如此，英国的母乳喂养初始率是世界上最低的。此外，成功开始母乳喂养的女性中，只有相当小的一部分会在婴儿期后继续母乳喂养。这在一定程度上可以解释为母乳喂养大龄儿童的女性缺乏支持。在这项研究中，我们深入了解了女性在从母乳喂养婴儿过渡到幼儿时接受医疗保健干预的体验。我们对 24 名至少有一名 12 个月以上孩子母乳喂养经验的女性进行了半结构化访谈。我们使用理论驱动的主题分析来识别贯穿访谈的相关主题。随着母亲在母乳喂养的过程中不断前进，她们面临着越来越多的社会耻辱。她们还经历了医疗保健专业人员态度的转变，支持被取代为评判。这对她们对医疗保健专业人员及其提供的建议的信任产生了负面影响。作为回应，这些女性转向志愿服务组织和封闭的社交媒体群组，以获得情感支持和医疗保健建议。这些女性在幼儿期母乳喂养时遇到了与婴儿期不同的具体问题。他们需要专门针对这些问题的干预措施。社交媒体被强调为支持母乳喂养婴儿的有用平台。它让这些女性感到自己是一个支持性的国际社区的一部分，并获得了实用的建议。医疗保健专业人员应该探索利用数字平台为母乳喂养婴儿的母亲提供支持的方法。
