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Trustful bonds: A key to "becoming a mother" and to reciprocal breastfeeding. Stories of mothers of very preterm infants at a neonatal unit

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  • Flacking, Renée
  • Ewald, Uwe
  • Nyqvist, Kerstin Hedberg
  • Starrin, Bengt

Abstract

A preterm birth and subsequent hospitalization of an infant at a neonatal unit (NU) implies an extraordinary life situation for mothers, in which the maternal role and breastfeeding begin and evolve in a medical and unfamiliar setting. Descriptions of how women experience "becoming a mother" and breastfeeding in such a situation are sparse and this question was addressed in the present study. In this qualitative study, inspired by the grounded theory approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 mothers whose very preterm infants had been cared for in seven NUs in Sweden. Findings indicated the importance of quality in social bonds with the infant, father, staff and other mothers at the NU, for "becoming mothers" and experiencing mutually satisfying breastfeeding. Three themes comprised a structure for descriptions of experiences, social bonds and mediated emotions: (1) 'loss' of the infant and the emotional chaos--"putting life on hold"; (2) separation--a sign of being unimportant as a person and mother; and (3) critical aspects of becoming more than a physical mother. The qualities were described as trustful or distrustful, characterized by accompanying feelings of pride/trust or shame/distrust. Social bonds were affected not only by the interpersonal interplay but also by the public environment and care routines. In conclusion, the contextual setting and distrustful social bonds impaired the ability to "become mothers" and the sensation of reciprocity i.e. breastfeeding becoming dutiful and not mutually satisfying. As breastfeeding is an intimate interplay and a personal choice it was considered that the best breastfeeding support would seem to be provision of a favorable environment that enhances the mother's confidence in herself. The contextual setting should be modeled such as to create conditions for a trustful and reciprocal mother-infant bond.

Suggested Citation

  • Flacking, Renée & Ewald, Uwe & Nyqvist, Kerstin Hedberg & Starrin, Bengt, 2006. "Trustful bonds: A key to "becoming a mother" and to reciprocal breastfeeding. Stories of mothers of very preterm infants at a neonatal unit," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 70-80, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:62:y:2006:i:1:p:70-80
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Espy, Kimberly Andrews & Senn, Theresa E., 2003. "Incidence and correlates of breast milk feeding in hospitalized preterm infants," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(8), pages 1421-1428, October.
    2. Galtry, Judith, 2003. "The impact on breastfeeding of labour market policy and practice in Ireland, Sweden, and the USA," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 167-177, July.
    3. Lupton, Deborah & Fenwick, Jennifer, 2001. "'They've forgotten that I'm the mum': constructing and practising motherhood in special care nurseries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 53(8), pages 1011-1021, October.
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    1. Dam, Mie S. & Juhl, Sandra M. & Sangild, Per T. & Svendsen,, Mette N., 2017. "Feeding premature neonates: Kinship and species in translational neonatology," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 129-136.
    2. Jacqueline Elizabeth van Wijlen, 2019. "Breastfeeding woman or lactating object? A critical philosophical discussion on the influence of Cartesian dualism on breastfeeding in the neonatal intensive care unit," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5-6), pages 1022-1031, March.
    3. Flacking, Renée & Ewald, Uwe & Starrin, Bengt, 2007. ""I wanted to do a good job": Experiences of 'becoming a mother' and breastfeeding in mothers of very preterm infants after discharge from a neonatal unit," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(12), pages 2405-2416, June.
    4. Janne Weis & Vibeke Zoffmann & Ingrid Egerod, 2014. "Improved nurse–parent communication in neonatal intensive care unit: evaluation and adjustment of an implementation strategy," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(23-24), pages 3478-3489, December.
    5. Palmquist, Aunchalee E.L. & Holdren, Sarah M. & Fair, Cynthia D., 2020. "“It was all taken away”: Lactation, embodiment, and resistance among mothers caring for their very-low-birth-weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    6. Neely, Eva, 2023. "Theorising mother-baby-assemblages: The vital emergence of maternal health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    7. Evalotte Mӧrelius & Kajsa Kling & Eva Haraldsson & Siw Alehagen, 2020. "You can't flight, you need to fight—A qualitative study of mothers' experiences of feeding extremely preterm infants," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2420-2428, July.

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