A Collective Metamorphosis of Breastfeeding Mothers: A Phenomenological Exploration of a Face-to-Face Healthcare Provider Facilitated Peer Support Group

This research study used phenomenology to examine a face-to-face healthcare facilitated breastfeeding support group. Participant observations and phenomenology were used to address the following research questions: 1) what are the lived experiences of the women participating a breastfeeding support group, 2) how does the group influence their lived experiences, and 3) what were the common experiences of these women? The support group participants were observed while the researcher acted as a participant observer over the course of an eleven-month period. There were a total of seven women interviewed about their lived experiences breastfeeding and attending the support group. Data from the participant observations and interviews were analyzed at the same time using recursive qualitative methods. A codebook was generated to direct the analysis of the observation data. The interviews were analyzed according to the guidelines outlined by the Phenomenology Research Group at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Once analysis was completed, the findings revealed a common thread of transformation in the breastfeeding relationship for these mothers, creating a story of collective metamorphosis. Specifically, mothers found themselves living in a state of uncertainty that they knew they couldn’t remain in, as a result, they sought the support of the group and found a safe space where they were able to make small changes over time. In the end, mothers emerged from the group with a new sense of confidence in their abilities to successfully address their breastfeeding struggles. As such, a story of collective metamorphosis is discussed and presented. The findings from this study further ideas found in current literature and also identified some important inconsistencies that need to be further investigated.