Women's experiences of ceasing to breastfeed: Australian qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate mothers' infant feeding experiences (breastfeeding/formula milk feeding) with the aim of understanding how women experience cessation of exclusive breastfeeding.

Design

Multimethod, qualitative study; questionnaire, focus groups and interviews.

Setting

Northern and Southern Tasmania, Australia.

Participants

127 mothers of childbearing age from a broad sociodemographic context completed a questionnaire and participated in 22 focus groups or 19 interviews across Tasmania, 2011-2013.

Results

Mothers view breastfeeding as 'natural' and 'best' and formula milk as 'wrong' and 'unnatural'. In an effort to avoid formula and prolong exclusive breastfeeding, mothers will endure multiple issues (eg, pain, low milk supply, mastitis, public s

SUBMITTER: Ayton JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6528004 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature