Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Breastfeeding is an international public health priority and is considered optimal for both infants and parents. However, initiating and sustaining breast/chestfeeding can be difficult. Evidence suggests that parents commonly encounter physical barriers to feeding, with most experiencing at least some pain during initiation of breast/chestfeeding. Enduring feeding pain takes a physical and emotional toll, yet little is known about lived experiences of this pain.Objective In this study, we explore parents’ open-ended descriptions of their breastfeeding pain experiences, elicited through a mixed-methods online survey.Methods Drawing on an affective discursive practice approach, we analyse 668 open-text answers to a question on experiences of feeding pain.Results Our findings are organised into two parts that explore (1) the visceral and emotional experiences of feeding pain, including two themes of ‘toe curling pain’ and ‘I would dread the latch’; and (2) contextual factors that made feeding pain hard(er) to deal with, including ‘pain is normal, toughen up’ and ‘the latch looks good’.Conclusion Material, affective, and discursive forces converge to constrain the articulation of feeding pain and limit access to support. We call for greater acknowledgement of these realities and for critical examination of the cultural assumptions that intensify this often-silenced experience.
Source: Psychology and Health
Authors: Octavia Calder-Dawe, Eva Neely
Institution: Victoria University of Wellington
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: Marsden Fund
Award: G5703060650
OpenAlex ID: W7135109258