Partners’ Experiences of Breastfeeding: A Qualitative Evaluation of an Intervention

AbstractBackgroundThe World Health Organization states that women and their families need breastfeeding support from the healthcare system. However, knowledge about the most effective way to involve the partner in breastfeeding is lacking. A qualitative evaluation can provide insight and knowledge about the partner’s experiences towards a breastfeeding support intervention and thus contribute to how forthcoming breastfeeding support policies are designed. The aim of this study was to explore partners’ experiences regarding breastfeeding.MethodsAn exploratory, longitudinal and qualitative design.Partners in an intervention group (IG) and control group (CG) participated in interviews or wrote diaries during pregnancy and two months after birth. The intervention was performed in line with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. A purposive sample was recruited from March to December 2021. Interviews and diary entries from 16 Swedish partners (8 IG and 8 CG) were analysed by content analysis, in accordance with the COREQ guidelines.ResultsPartners’ experiences can be summarised under the main category of ‘Striving to be part of the family and important that the family’s everyday life was well-functioning’. IG partners experienced that both parents were involved and cooperated in the breastfeeding process and that guidance from healthcare professionals (HCPs) helped them to feel secure. CG partners experienced that they felt excluded and that they did not receive support from HCPs.ConclusionsBoth parents need to be targeted in breastfeeding support policies to meet the support needs. Midwives at antenatal care and child healthcare nurses at the child healthcare centre have important roles to play in providing structured breastfeeding support and a breastfeeding plan. Both IG and CG partners strived to become a part of the infant’s life and to make family life work. Midwives should involve both parents in a reflective dialogue on how the partner can be involved apart from just feeding the infant.Trial registration:Registered prospectively in the Swedish database on the 06thFebruary 2020: Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Sweden: https://www.researchweb.org/is/foudll. The project has nr. 273762. Retrospectively registered in Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on the 10thMarch 2023 (We have receive the submit number 385535, Additional files 1 and added the clinical trial nr when we receive it).