The impact of family culture on six months exclusive breastfeeding: A qualitative study in New Zealand

Aim: Support from family members has been found to influence intention, initiation and prolonged duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Drawing upon the narratives of women interviewed for this research, this paper aims to evaluate the impact of family culture on exclusive breastfeeding practice. Methods: A generic qualitative methodology was employed, and social constructionism was selected as the epistemological framework underpinning the research. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 30 new mothers during the postpartum period and each participant was followed via short monthly audio-recorded telephone interviews. The participants were recruited from the lower North Island of New Zealand, and had identified that they were highly motivated to practise 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding in a short antenatal questionnaire administered at the time of recruitment. After thematic analysis of the data, the theory of stress, coping strategies and social support proposed by Peggy Thoits (1995) was applied to illuminate the findings related to the importance of social support fmm significant others. Key findings: Most participants in this study received extensive breastfeeding support from their families, particularly from their own mothers. The key findings of this study included: 1) the importance of the breastfeeding culture in a family; 2) experienced maternal grandmother as a positive role model; and 3) emotional and informational support are more important than instrumental support. Conclusion: This qualitative study highlights the importance of the inter-generational breastfeeding culture in a family. The key conclusion of this research is that six months exclusive breastfeeding practice is not limited to the intentions or actions of the mother-infant dyad; it is a relational behaviour not only influenced by the familial networks around the mother, but also by the cultural, historical and social contexts of the mother's life.