Poster Presentation
Thursday, 20 July 2006
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Thursday, 20 July 2006
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
This presentation is part of : Poster Presentations II
Breastfeeding Experiences in Public Places from Taiwanese Women's Perspectives
Li-Lan Chuang, MSN, RN, Ying-Jung Tseng, MSN, and Mei-Man Chen, MSN, RN. Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
Learning Objective #1: realize the mothers' needs to breastfeeding facilities in public places.
Learning Objective #2: identify the breastfeeding experiences in public.
The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences towards breastfeeding in public places from career women’s subjective perceptions. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended worldwide but not commonly practiced. In Taiwan, women were not encouraged to expose their bodies. Most women were embarrassed to breastfeed their babies in public. However, outdoor activities were inevitable parts of daily life, and little was known about the breastfeeding phenomenon in public among Taiwanese women. A convenient sample of 12 breastfeeding women at least four months after birth with experiences of breastfeeding in public was recruited. In-depth interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed four themes: feeling a psychological dilemma, living within an unfriendly social environment, getting adjusts to daily life style, and making strategies to breastfeeding practices. Twelve subthemes expanded and clarified the meaning of these themes. Breastfeeding is a natural act. Mothers have a right to breastfeed where they go with their baby, even if that is out in public. It does not matter whether the mother goes to a public or a private place, or even whether they are in a state with legislation. This study discussed the environmental and cultural barriers of breastfeeding in public places. Creating comfortable public facilities for mothers to continue breastfeeding their babies is important. In addition, the key role still remains the biggest obstacle in the struggle to re-establish a breastfeeding culture. Renew a social attitudes toward supporting breastfeeding is great urgency in Taiwan.

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See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)