This study used data from video diaries of five mothers in the South of England. However, the analysis suggested the more likely explanation to be that the video diaries provided an avenue for Strengths and limitations Perhaps breastfeeding took longer to establish than previous studies have proposed. Mothers recorded their video diaries for longer than expected. This effect might have been greater than suggested in other qualitative research 18 because each participant had full control of the camcorder. 12 Observing mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding within their own homes, however, is Findingsįindings show that as mothers recorded their video diaries there was a therapeutic effect. This paper focuses on one theme, ‘But what I really wanted to tell you…’ - mothers’ use of the camcorder.Įthnography prioritises observation as the pivotal mode for gathering cultural information about a group of people. This qualitative study explored the everyday experiences of a small group of first-time mothers in the South of England, who were breastfeeding their babies in the early days following birth. This study sought to fill this gap, enabling for the first time, the collection of audio-visual data of the multifaceted nature of breastfeeding at home from mothers’ perspectives in the early weeks following birth to identify the challenges they face on a daily basis within their own socio-cultural context. ![]() 11 However, audio-visual diary data has not been collected by breastfeeding mothers before. Their work highlighted social factors and difficulties of breastfeeding, including accessing support from health professionals. 11 used a combination of audio diaries and semi-structured interviews to explore first-time mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding following discharge from hospital. 10 These researchers demonstrated how unprepared mothers were for breastfeeding despite expressing a strong preference to breastfeed antenatally, the difficulties they faced and the ‘roller coaster’ of emotions in the early weeks. One study used daily diaries by mothers in the first six to eight weeks following birth, along with transcripts from interviews, to explore experiences of breastfeeding. Instead of using retrospective data collection (interviews or surveys) which risks recall bias, diaries come as close as possible to continuous contemporaneous data collection. Studies have employed written and audio diaries to collect contemporaneous data providing evidence of mothers’ on-going lived experiences of breastfeeding in the early weeks.10, 11 Diaries are a useful method as the researcher cannot observe participants 24 h a day, seven days a week. The key social issues include unrealistic expectations, pressures from work, family, friends and partners, tensions caused by women’s breasts being portrayed as sexual objects and marginalisation of women breastfeeding in public and widespread advertising of formula and bottle feeding.6, 7, 8, 9 ![]() 5 Despite consistent evidence of its benefits, breastfeeding is often seen as problematic. 4 The most recent UK National Infant Feeding Survey (2010) revealed a culture of formula feeding: although 81% of mothers started breastfeeding, only 44% were exclusively breastfeeding one week later and 23% at six weeks. There is overwhelming research evidence that demonstrates the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies and yet breastfeeding prevalence in the United Kingdom (UK) is one of the lowest in the world. 2 This effect is also referred to as ‘cathartic’. Studies have consistently highlighted that qualitative research can have a therapeutic effect on participants. 1 People take part in research for different reasons such as wanting to help others and getting something more for themselves. ![]() The ‘therapeutic effect' is a ‘meaning effect’ in general, since it refers to the meaning of taking part in the research for participants. There is growing evidence of the potentially therapeutic nature of being a research participant. ![]() The analysis enabled new insights about the therapeutic role of taking part in qualitative research. It will highlight the way the mothers personified the camcorders which appeared to help them to express their emotions, fears and feelings. This paper will focus on one theme from the findings of a study in which mothers used small hand-held camcorders to record their breastfeeding experiences on video diaries.
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