Maternal perception of paternal breastfeeding support: A secondary qualitative analysis.

OBJECTIVE

To describe how women perceive paternal support of breastfeeding and identify actions women value during the early breastfeeding postpartum.

DESIGN

A qualitative secondary analysis of semi-structured interviews using thematic analysis collected after birth and via telephone at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after discharge.

SETTING

A regional medical center in the southeast region of the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty-two women yielded 130 transcripts with 32 transcripts conducted after birth, and 19, 16, 27, and 36 transcripts conducted after discharge via telephone at weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

FINDING

Women reported three themes of paternal support of breastfeeding (1) participating in the breastfeeding decision, (2) being a partner of breastfeeding, and (3) caring for breastfeeding mothers.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE

Paternal support of breastfeeding is a learning process that requires teamwork for women and their partners to master breastfeeding. Women and their partners as co-parents solve breastfeeding problems and achieve their breastfeeding goals, which promotes maternal well-being and bonding with their infants. Future interventions will guide partners to support breastfeeding and women's postpartum physical and psychological needs.