Early contact and breastfeeding: Meanings and experiences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the meanings and experiences of early contact and breastfeeding of the postpartum women admitted at a Baby-Friendly Hospital. It is a descriptive, exploratory study, with qualitative approach, that was developed in a teaching hospital in the Northwest of Paraná state between November 2011 and January 2012, involving the participation of 16 postpartum women. Data were collected by means of non-participant systematic observation of the childbirths and semi-structured interview. The data collected were analyzed using the thematic content analysis. The results revealed that, soon after childbirth, the child-mother binomial provided the woman with a unique experience, triggering various sensations into the bio-psycho-social-cultural context of each one of the mothers, with feelings and meanings that favored the mother-child bond and the outset of breastfeeding.