The enablers and barriers to continue breast milk feeding in women returning to work

Aim: To describe the enablers and barriers working women experience in continuing breast milk feeding after they return to work postpartum in urban Malaysia. Background: In Malaysia, urban working women have low rates of breastfeeding and struggle to achieve the recommended 6 months exclusive breastfeeding. Design: A qualitative enquiry based on a phenomenological framework and multiple methods were used to explore women's experiences in depth. Methods: Multiple qualitative methods using face-to-face interview and participant diary were used. Data collection took place in urban suburbs around Penang and Klang Valley, Malaysia from March-September 2011. Participants were 40 employed women with infants less than 24 months. Findings: Only 11 of the participants worked from home. Based on the women's experiences, we categorized them into three groups: 'Passionate' women with a strong determination and exclusively breastfed for 6 months, 'Ambivalent' women who initiated breastfeeding, but were unable to sustain exclusive breastfeeding after returning to work and 'Equivalent' women who introduced infant formula prior to returning to work. Conclusion: Passion and to a lesser extent intention, influenced women's choice. Women's characteristics played a greater role in their infant feeding outcomes than their work environment.