Abstract
Background
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched to promote policies and procedures that improve breastfeeding practices worldwide. Breastfeeding is considered the baby’s natural first food, offering the energy and essential nutrients needed in the first six months of life. Babies should be exclusively breastfed during this time because it is crucial for infant health, development, and maternal well-being.
The aim
The aim of the study was to explore and describe the new mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding immediately post-caesarean section (C-section) at a public hospital.
Method
A phenomenological approach was employed as the research method. The study used an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative design to explore and describe new mothers' experiences of breastfeeding immediately post C-section. The researcher employed purposive sampling and personal judgement to select participants who could share experiences relevant to the study's purpose at a Gauteng hospital. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews. Analysis was conducted concurrently with data collection using Colaizzi’s seven-step method.
Findings
The research findings revealed two main themes, five themes, and 10 subthemes related to new mothers’ experience of breastfeeding immediately post C-section. These themes included mothers' experiences and the assistance that they expected to see from midwives.
The study revealed that most mothers had negative experiences with breastfeeding immediately post their C-sections. Although there are positive experiences, they are overshadowed by the negatives. The findings show that more interventions are needed to help alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with C-sections, as well as to provide ongoing support and counselling during and after delivery to all mothers, not just those who choose to breastfeed.
This chapter concludes the dissertation with recommendations for handling the negative experiences of breastfeeding immediately after a C-section. These recommendations include health care practice recommendations, policy recommendations for future research, and recommendations for policymakers...