Latching difficulty during breastfeeding: What do Italian mothers say, about their experience? A qualitative study

Introduction Many professional organizations recommend breastfeeding for the first 6 months due to the numerous benefits it has for mother and child. The mother’s breastfeeding experiences in the early postpartum period, are crucial in deciding to continue it. It is important to identify, in the first days after childbirth, women who send messages that are likely to early stop breastfeeding. Many women have said to have breastfeeding difficulties in the first days after birth. Several studies1-4 have explored the motivation of early breastfeeding cessation but little is known on what "breastfeeding difficulty" really means for women. Aim of the study Our goal was to gain a more in-depth understanding of Italian women’s experiences of breastfeeding difficulties, in the early post natal period. Methods The women who received a Breastfeeding Assessment Score5 (BAS) less than 8, and reported “latching difficulties”, were invited to participate in the study. With purposive sampling we recruited 15 women, 48-72 hours after childbirth. We conducted semi-structured interviews which were tape-recorded and verbatim transcribed. The transcripts were read and analyzed using the Grounded Theory method. Results "Latching difficulty" is related to issues including both mother’s and infant’s difficulties. Nipple-pain and infant’s sleepiness were the most reported difficulties. In spite of these difficulties, the sensation related to breastfeeding was “happiness” when the baby sucked the breast, but concern and anxiety were common too. The women reported more impediment in overcoming the breastfeeding difficulty when there was an idealization of breastfeeding, during pregnancy. Conclusion This study enriches the theoretical framework in understanding the dynamics that can contribute to early failure of breastfeeding in Italy. Practical relevance Understanding the meaning of the item “latching difficulty” consents to a more correct interpretation of the BAS5 by the Italian midwives and allows a more accurate identification of the mothers who need support and education during breastfeeding Research implications Since this is a qualitative study, more research is needed to understand the “latching difficulty” in the Italian environment and in other cultures