Prenatal and postpartum focus groups with primiparas: breastfeeding attitudes, support, barriers, self-efficacy, and...

The purpose of this study was to explore women's prenatal attitudes, perception of support, anticipated barriers, facilitators, and breastfeeding self-efficacy beliefs and how their attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of support changed as a result of their postpartum experiences.

A prospective, descriptive design with qualitative data collection methods was used for this study. Eight primiparas participated in prenatal and postpartum focus groups held in the conference room of a local school of nursing. One additional mother participated in individual interviews before and after giving birth at her request.

In the prenatal groups, the major themes included beliefs that breastfeeding benefits both the mother and baby, availability of support, looking toward the future, and uncertainty about what to expect with breastfeeding. In the postpartum groups, the major themes centered around the realization that breastfeeding was both easy and difficult, the importance and role of supportive others, receiving conflicting advice, having validating experiences, and modifying breastfeeding intention based on postpartum experiences.

Mothers need to be better educated for breastfeeding prenatally, and the information must be consistent, realistic, and evidence-based.