Voices of women of low SES: Overcoming breastfeeding barriers

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the breastfeeding experience among women from a low SES population in the Southeastern United States. Participants were recruited, via flyers, from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and were screened for eligibility upon contacting the research lab. Eligibility criteria included maternal age ≥ 18, having a high school degree (or GED) or less, and having successfully breastfed an infant within the last year. In‐depth phone interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, and transcripts entered into QDA Miner text‐analysis software for data analysis. Using grounded theory and emergent coding, transcripts were coded by two independent researchers and coding agreement compared on a predetermined schedule. Interviews were conducted until reaching saturation (n=9). Major, emergent themes related to establishing a successful breastfeeding relationship in this low SES population included strong internal motivation to overcome barriers and co‐sleeping as a management tool. These results will be discussed in detail and may offer valuable insight for future programs targeting this population. Funding: University of Tennessee, Professional Development Fund. Grant Funding Source : Professional Development funds