Breastfeeding challenges among adolescent mothers: a phenomenological study at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Abstract

Background The natural and best approach to give newborns the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development is through breast feeding. Breastfeeding rates fall more sharply with time for mothers under the age of 20 years.Aim This study sought to explore the challenges experienced by adolescent mothers who visit the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.Method This study employed a qualitative phenomenology design and collected data from adolescent mothers. Data were gathered with the aid of a semistructured in-depth interview guide from 13 breastfeeding adolescent mothers. Data for the study were analysed using content analysis. The study was conducted at the obstetrics and gynaecology department of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.Findings Two major themes were generated from the study to be the challenges that confront adolescent breastfeeding mothers, and they are maternal factors of breastfeeding barriers and societal factors of breastfeeding barriers. Subcategories were generated for both themes during the process.Conclusion and recommendation Training of pregnant adolescents during antenatal care visits on how to manage the inability to lactate, breastfeeding stress, painful and sore nipple, engorged breast, stigma from society will lessen their burden. Furthermore, training close family members and friends on how to be kind and support adolescent mothers during breast feeding is important. In-service training should be organised for health workers to enhance their knowledge and practice of approaching and guiding adolescent mothers on effective breast feeding and the provision of cubicles in public places where adolescent mothers can comfortably breastfeed.