Contradictions and conflict: A meta-ethnographic study of migrant women’s experiences of breastfeeding in a new country

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Hannah G Dahlen²  Cindy-Lee Dennis¹  Margie Duff²  Elaine Burns²  Hannah Olley²  Virginia Schmied² 

[1] Department of Psychiatry, Canada Research Chair in Perinatal Community Health, Shirley Brown Chair in Women's Mental Health Research, Women's College Research Institute, University of Toronto Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 1P8, Canada;School of Nursing and Midwifery, Family and Community Health Research Group, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW, Australia

关键词: Qualitative research;    Colostrum;    Refugee;    Immigrant;    Migrant;    Breastfeeding;    Meta-ethnography;   

Others  :  1151418
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2393-12-163

 received in 2012-09-18, accepted in 2012-12-18,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Studies report mixed findings about rates of both exclusive and partial breastfeeding amongst women who are migrants or refugees in high income countries. It is important to understand the beliefs and experiences that impact on migrant and refugee women’s infant feeding decisions in order to appropriately support women to breastfeed in a new country. The aim of this paper is to report the findings of a meta-ethnographic study that explored migrant and refugee women’s experiences and practices related to breastfeeding in a new country.

Methods

CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Library with Full Text databases were searched for the period January 2000 to May 2012. Out of 2355 papers retrieved 11 met the inclusion criteria. A meta-ethnographic synthesis was undertaken using the analytic strategies and theme synthesis techniques of reciprocal translation and refutational investigation. Quality appraisal was undertaken using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool.

Results

Eight qualitative studies and three studies reporting both qualitative and quantitative data were included and one overarching theme emerged: ‘Breastfeeding in a new country: facing contradictions and conflict’. This theme comprised four sub-themes ‘Mother’s milk is best’; ‘Contradictions and conflict in breastfeeding practices’; ‘Producing breast milk requires energy and good health’; and ‘The dominant role of female relatives’. Migrant women who valued, but did not have access to, traditional postpartum practices, were more likely to cease breastfeeding. Women reported a clash between their individual beliefs and practices and the dominant practices in the new country, and also a tension with family members either in the country of origin or in the new country.

Conclusion

Migrant women experience tensions in their breastfeeding experience and require support from professionals who can sensitively address their individual needs. Strategies to engage grandmothers in educational opportunities may offer a novel approach to breastfeeding support.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Schmied et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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