Women's experiences of learning to breastfeed
- Authors: Sheeran, Leanne , Buchanan, Kerrie , Welch, Anthong , Jones, Linda
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Breastfeeding Review Vol. 23, no. 3 (2015), p. 15-22
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: This research explores women's experiences of learning to breastfeed. Design: A purposive cohort of healthy mothers participated in individual audio recorded interviews late pregnancy and then 2 and 8 weeks after birth. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using van Manen's approach. Setting and participants: Participants were 13 first time mothers based in a rural municipality in Victoria, Australia. Key findings: Women's voices gave rich descriptions of their experience of learning to breastfeed. Women shared the physicality of having 'great big engorged breasts' or 'sore nipples', and 'learning to latch' while 'having so very many things happening'. Conclusion: Many participants felt overwhelmed with learning to breastfeed at the same time as coping with caesarean wounds, perineal trauma, uterine bleeding and extreme fatigue. Future implications: Parenting education needs to be offered early in pregnancy so couples can explore birthing and its potential outcomes and to introduce infant cues and behaviours as a base for understanding how these impact on breastfeeding and problem solving. © 2015, Australian Breastfeeding Association. All rights reserved.
Management of Maternal and Child Health Services in Victoria Australia : Education or Health Portfolio
- Authors: Breach, Rayleen , Jones, Linda , Sheeran, Leanne
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Nursing Vol. 1, no. 2 (2014), p. 103-114
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: In Victoria, Maternal and Child Health (MCH) service is currently located within the State Government’s Department of Education and EarlyChildhood Development (DEECD) portfolio. This department is accountable for the planning and provision of early childhood services in partnership with local government. The MCH service has experienced many changes in State Government departmental portfolios over the years.It was therefore considered relevant to explore the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs held by the MCH workforce in regards to the portfolio that they considered should manage the MCH service.A qualitative exploratory descriptive approach was used to explore the Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of the Victorian MCH nurses regarding the positioning portfolio for the service. The involved interviewing 12 key stakeholders and 36 MCH nurses until data saturation was reached. Presented are the findings that indicated that the majority of the participants believed that the service did not belong well currently in either Victorian Government Education or Health portfolio. The strength of this opinion, however, highlights the need for some collaborative discussion with all concerned parties in order to appropriately position the MCH service in order to achieve optimum outcomes for children in Victoria.
Women’s relationships with their own mothers in the early motherhood period
- Authors: Sheeran, Leanne , Jones, Linda , Welch, Anthony
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Gender & Women's Studies Vol. 3, no. 1 (2015), p. 26-32
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: The aim of this paper is to explore women’s experiences of their relationship with their own mother in the early motherhood period. Method: van Manen’s phenomenological approach was used for this research. Thirteen healthy first time expectant mothers were recruited in the antenatal period between 28-34 weeks gestation through antenatal clinics and classes. Women were invited to participate in depth interviews held at three key periods (late pregnancy, 2 weeks and 8 weeks after birth). Interviews were 45-60 minutes long, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim prior to being analysed. Findings: A key adult relationships that emerged as being important for the participants during the early motherhood period was their relationship with their own mother. Participants’ mothers were often very supportive but tensions occurred when participants’ mothers were not available or perceived as intrusive. Conclusion: New motherhood involves significant transitions for first time mothers. It is recommended that health agencies such as midwifery and maternal and child health services include significant discussion about communication, relationships and planned support at home in their education and care interventions.