Abstract

Background: The children’s feeding behaviours in the early stages of life determine their eating behaviours in adulthood. It is imperative to understand that the failure in fulfilling hunger in the homeostatic stage is detrimental towards the mother-baby interaction in further stages of feeding. Ergo, it is of paramount importance for the mothers to understand the actual manifestation of homeostatic stage in their daily lives.

Aim: To explore the mother’s breastfeeding experience and how they handle the problems.

Methods: This study uses a qualitative research design and hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Sixteen mothers were recruited from the community by purposive sampling. The in-depth interviews conducted were audio-recorded and transcribed. In addition, thematic analysis was done using the interpretative phenomenological analysis method.

Results:The majority of the mothers had yet to understand the effects of rooming-in on the success of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding difficulties and low milk supply occured in both mothers who had a spontaneous vaginal delivery and caesarean section. The provision of formula milk did not continue on the mothers who regularly breastfed or pumped.

Conclusions:Mothers ought to have ample knowledge on homeostatic stage to improve the breastfeeding process and foster good feeding behaviours from as early as possible.

Keywords: homeostatic stage, breastfeeding, phenomenological study