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“I’Ve Accomplished Something Here” The Lived Experience Of Employed Breastfeeding Mothers: A Phenomenological Analysis, Jennifer Diane Stewart-Glenn

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of employed breastfeeding mothers. Using a phenomenological approach based on the works of Merleau-Ponty, the researcher completed 13 interviews in which mothers with experience working full-time while breastfeeding were asked to describe their experiences. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a hermeneutical approach developed by Pollio and applied to nursing research by Thomas. Each interview was examined within the context of all the interviews to identify themes found throughout.

While participants’ experiences were grounded in the unsupportive world of the workplace, aspects of their experience became figural …