Objective: To explore the experiences of lactation suppression (LS) among Taiwanese women who experienced stillbirth after 20-weeks gestation.
Design: Qualitative research combining practitioner ethnography and the observ-view method (participant observation and unstructured interviews while caring for participants).
Setting: Participants were recruited from a medical center in central Taiwan between June 2013 and November 2014.
Participants: Seven Taiwanese women who had stillbirths.
Methods: Data were collected by the observ-view method. Recorded interviews were analyzed by content analysis.
Results: Participants described three core experiences: deciding to use LS without careful deliberation; psychological pain is substantially stronger than physical pain; and not regretting their choice regarding method of LS.
Conclusion: Physical pain often remains unaddressed because of the greater psychological pain following fetal death. Therefore, LS should be an essential component of follow-up care as part of the discharge plan. Follow-up should be for at least 14 days. More research is needed on nonpharmacological LS to address cultural differences and personal beliefs about methods of LS.
Keywords: breast engorgement; cultural beliefs; doing the month; fetal death; lactation suppression.
© 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.