Abstract
Background: Breastfeeding is accepted as the optimum way to nourish babies. It is established that women need informed support from midwives, but the focus of previous research has been predominantly on women's experiences, rather than that of midwives. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore midwives' experiences of helping women who were struggling to breastfeed. Methods: A qualitative methodology was selected using a phenomenological approach. Some 5 midwives were purposefully recruited and data was collected using semi-structured interviews. Following transcription, data was analysed using Colaizzi's (1978) framework of analysis. Findings: Three themes emerged describing midwives' experiences: time poverty, the impact of being ‘with women’, and professional integrity. Conclusions: The study revealed that breastfeeding has an emotional impact on midwives. Not being able to spend the time they felt the women needed affected the midwives. With reports of an increasing shortage of midwives, there is concern that time poverty may increase, leading to a greater sense of professional dissatisfaction.
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