The Breast-feeding Conversation

Abstract

Nurses play a vital role in mothers' early experiences with breast-feeding. Literature enumerates both supportive and nonsupportive behaviors, as well as the "interpersonal" aspect of breast-feeding support, although little direction is given to nurses about how to facilitate the relationship. This article conceptualizes breast-feeding support within Gadamerian hermeneutics as a conversation among nurses, mothers, and their newborns. Hermeneutically, breast-feeding conversation encompasses a text (a particular feeding at the breast), conversational partners (a mother, her newborn, and a nurse), and a dialogue that facilitates effective breast-feeding and maternal breast-feeding confidence through interpretation or understanding of the text. History and language are essential as a partnership is formed.

Using Goffman’s Theories of Social Interaction to Reflect First-Time Mothers’ Experiences With the Social Norms of Infant Feeding

“…They also agreed that on becoming a mother they felt an expectation from those around them that “you should be able to provide for your baby.” This finding was evident in that participants felt obligated to breastfeed and felt an expectation to modify their behavior because of societal expectations (Goffman, 1971), and confirms that participants were attempting to adhere to expected social norms (Sunstein, 1996). Consistent with the breastfeeding literature (Earle, 2002; Forster & McLaughlan, 2010; Grassley & Nelms, 2008; Ryan et al, 2011; Sheehan, Schmied, & Cooke, 2003; Stewart-Knox, Gardiner, & Wright, 2003), nursing mothers continually modify their breastfeeding behavior in response to others around them.…”