Resilient Infant Feeding Among Young Women With Histories of Maltreatment and Poor Support

Abstract

Objective

To explore how young women with histories of maltreatment describe their experiences and decisions around infant feeding.

Design

Secondary qualitative analysis using supplementary analysis.

Setting

Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; and their respective suburbs.

Participants

Young women with histories of being abused or neglected as children or adolescents and who gave birth to one child before age 19 years (N = 9).

Methods

We collected data through in-depth semistructured interviews and analyzed them using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

The analysis resulted in three themes: Infant Feeding Intention, Identifying Challenges and Persistence, and Pivoting to What Is Feasible. Participants felt that breastfeeding was valuable and wanted to be able to breastfeed their children. They continued to provide human milk through painful latches and a lack of support and guidance, but formula became the only viable option for many of them.

Conclusion

Despite wanting to breastfeed and continuing through barriers, many participants could not continue to breastfeed as long as they wanted because of a systemic lack of support. These findings indicate a need to support young women with histories of maltreatment through increased and consistent access to lactation support providers and trauma-informed care. Nurses and other clinicians are uniquely positioned to support young women with histories of maltreatment to overcome barriers related to breastfeeding.