Breastfeeding Experiences of Mothers with Babies Admitted to the University Teaching Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Lusaka, Zambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ijhmnp.1326Keywords:
Breastfeeding, Experiences, Small and Sick babies, Breastfeeding Support, Neonatal Intensive Care UnitAbstract
Purpose: The main objective was to explore the breastfeeding experiences of mothers with babies admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Women and Newborn Hospital (WNBH), Lusaka, Zambia.
Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological transcendental (descriptive) design using unstructured in-depth interviews with mothers of babies admitted to the NICU at UTH Women and Newborn, Lusaka, Zambia was used to explore the experiences. All the interviews were recorded and then transcribed thereafter analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings: Findings revealed that breastfeeding in NICU was breastfeeding in a restricted environment as mothers had inadequate time for breastfeeding and bonding. Mothers perceived the NICU to be a painful and scary place. The breastfeeding support was perceived as good breastfeeding support while some mothers perceived the support as inadequate or no breastfeeding support. Nevertheless, mothers had alternative support options while breastfeeding in a restricted environment and the options included praying to God Almighty, strengthening oneself and peer support.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study concluded that separation of mothers from their babies was a source of pain and NICU was not a conducive environment for breastfeeding. Mothers need more time with their babies so as to promote breastfeeding and bonding.
Downloads
References
Diji, A.K.A., Bam, V., Asante, E. et al (2017) Challenges and Predictors Of Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Mothers Attending The Child Welfare Clinic At A Regional Hospital In Ghana: International Breastfeeding Journal, 12(13).
Endalkachew, W.M, Desalegne, A., Likawunt, S.A, Mulugeta,T.M.B. Debela and Fentie, A.G. (2022) Parental Experiences In Neonatal Intensive Care Unit In Ethiopia: A Phenomenological Study, Annals of Medicine, 54:1, 121-131, DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2021.2004320
Englander, M. (2012) The interview: data collection in descriptive phenomenological human scientific research. Journal of Phenomenology and Psychology, 43(1):13–35.
Hilditch, C., Howes, A., Dempster, N. and Keir, A. (2019) What evidence-based strategies have been shown to improve breastfeeding rates in preterm infants? Journal of paediatrics and child health, 55(8):907-14. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14551
Ikonen, R., Paavilainen, E., & Kaunonen, M. (2015) Preterm Infants' Mothers' Experiences with Milk Expression and Breastfeeding: An Integrative Review. Advances in neonatal care: Official Journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, 15(6), 394–406
Kinshella, ML. W., Prasad, S., Hiwa, T. et al. (2021) Barriers and Facilitators for early and Exclusive Breastfeeding in Health Facilities In Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. Global health research policy 6, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-021-00206-2
Maternal and Child Survival Program (2019) Comprehensive Breastfeeding Support and Feeding of Small and Sick Newborns in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Programmatic Considerations Technical Summary Brief. USAID.
Moerer-Urdahl, T and Creswell, W.J. (2004) Using Transcendental Phenomenology to explore the Ripple Effect in a leadership mentoring program. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 3(2).
Neubauer, B.E., Witkop, C.T. & Varpio, L. (2019) How phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of others. Perspect Med Educ 8, 90–97 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-019-0509-
Niela-Vilén, H., Axelin, A., Melender, H., and Salanterä, S. (2015) Aiming to be a breastfeeding mother in a neonatal intensive care unit and at home: a thematic analysis of peer-support group discussion in social media. Maternal and Child Nutrition. Turku. 12:08.
Pinar G, Erbaba H (2020) Experiences of New Mothers with Premature Babies in Neonatal Care Units: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Nursing Practice. 3(1):179-185
Poggenpoel, E.S.M and Myburgh, C. (2017) Lived experiences of parents of premature babies in the intensive care unit in a private hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Shattnawi K. K. (2017). Healthcare Professionals' Attitudes and Practices in Supporting and Promoting the Breastfeeding of Preterm Infants in NICUs. Advances in neonatal care: Official Journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. 17(5), 390–399. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000000421
Smith E.R, Hurt, L., Chowdhury, R., Sinha, B., Fawzi, W., Edmond, K.M, et al (2017) Delayed breastfeeding initiation and infant survival: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 12(7):journal.pone.0180722.
Tadal, K., Shimpuku, Y., Sunguya, B and Horiuchi, S. (2020) Evaluation of breastfeeding care and education given to mothers with low birth weight babies by healthcare workers at a hospital in urban Tanzania: International Breastfeeding Journal.15:36 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00280
UNICEF, (2018) UNICEF data: monitoring the situation of children and women: infant and young child feeding. http://data.unicef.org/topic/nutrition/infant-and-young-childfeeding
USAID Zambia (2019) Advancing Newborn Healthcare Systems; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 30 Percent Design Report.
WHO and UNICEF, (2018) Implementation Guidance: Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding in Facilities Providing Maternity and Newborn Services – the revised Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative. Geneva. https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/bfhi-implementation-2018.pdf
Wight, N.E. (2015) Breastfeeding the NICU Infant: What to Expect. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 58(4) 840–854
Yang, Y., Brandon, D., Lu, H., and Cong, X. (2019). Breastfeeding Experiences and Perspectives on Support Among Chinese Mothers Separated From their Hospitalized Preterm Infants: A Qualitative Study. International Breastfeeding Journal, 14, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-019-0242-9
Zambia Statistics Agency and MOH (2018) Zambia Demographic Health Survey Summary Report. Lusaka.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
