The lived experiences of nurses who work in postpartum units who have breastfed: Thoughts on breastfeeding

Research has demonstrated that breastfeeding decreases the mortality of infants and supports the health of mothers. In America breastfeeding rates fall below the Healthy People 2020 goals. This qualitative study explored the lived experience of registered nurses (RNs) who had breastfed their children and the support they gave to postpartum mothers. Fourteen postpartum RNs from a California hospital volunteered for interviews regarding personal experiences with breastfeeding. The sample was multicultural with Kenyan, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Asian, Caucasian, and Filipino women. Themes discouraging breastfeeding included pain, lack of breastfeeding support, and the need to return to work. Participants with difficult breastfeeding experiences reported empathy with postpartum mothers. Participants were unprepared for the pain and difficulty associated with breastfeeding. Women whose cultures expected breastfeeding tolerated the pain as part of the maternal experience. Efforts should focus on reducing pain during breastfeeding and improving postpartum care by engaging those with breastfeeding experience