The breastfeeding experience of women with multiple pregnancies: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies
Ruxue Bai1, Yifan Cheng1, Siyu Shan1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
Background:
The experiences and challenges associated with breastfeeding multiple births can be considerably more complex than those of singletons. Multiple births refer to the delivery of more than one offspring in a single birth event. Emphasizing the needs and experiences of mothers with multiple births during breastfeeding can enable healthcare providers to design targeted interventions that enhance breastfeeding rates. However, existing breastfeeding and health education resources and practices do not fully meet the needs of women who breastfeed multiples. This review aimed to review and synthesize qualitative studies on the breastfeeding experiences of women with multiple births.
Methods:
A systematic search was conducted in 10 electronic databases for papers published from the inception of the database to March 2024. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research was utilized to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies included. The thematic synthesis method of Thomas and Harden was employed to integrate and analyze the included literature to derive new categories and conclusions.
Findings:
Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and quality assessment criteria for this study. Through the integration of their results, four themes were identified: the choice and willingness to breastfeed multiple births; the challenges of breastfeeding multiple births; stage management and individualised adaptation of breastfeeding; and the experience of support.
Conclusion:
Throughout the feeding process from pregnancy to the postpartum period, mothers with multiple births often have predominantly negative experiences with breastfeeding. Consequently, hospitals should create a multidisciplinary follow-up team comprising obstetrics, neonatology, psychology, and community services to offer specialized and personalized support to these women at various stages.
Systematic Review Registration:
[ https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ], identifier [PROSPERO 2024 CRD42024520348].
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice
Theories provide a perspective to assess patients' conditions and organize data and methods. They also assist in analyzing and interpreting information. They represent a...
00:55Parental Care
02:20Longitudinal Research
01:03Nursing Interventions I: Taxonomy of Nursing Interventions
A nursing intervention is a treatment or action based on scientific concepts and knowledge from the nursing, behavioral, and physical sciences. Identifying and prioritizing nursing interventions based on the desired outcome...
01:29Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions
01:18The Scientific Method in Nursing Process
When using research findings to change practice, one must understand the process used to guide a study. The scientific method is a systematic, step-by-step process that supports the data's validity, reliability, and generalizability. As a result, findings can be...