Breastfeeding with overweight and obesity from interprofessional perspectives: challenges and needs.

Overweight and obesity are common among women of reproductive age. Women with a higher body mass index are less likely to initiate breastfeeding and often breastfeed a shorter duration. They face specific challenges in breastfeeding and in accessing appropriate breastfeeding support across the pre-,...

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Publicado en:Midwifery Vol. 161
Autores principales: Reitis, Nina, Diemert, Anke, Ebinghaus, Merle, Zyriax, Birgit-Christiane
Formato: research Journal Article
Publicado: Elsevier B.V. Oct2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Oct2026
      vid: 161
      pid: 82545
      pub: Elsevier B.V.
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        10.1016/j.midw.2026.104892
        196056629
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        atl: Breastfeeding with overweight and obesity from interprofessional perspectives: challenges and needs.
      aug:
        au:
          Reitis, Nina
          Diemert, Anke
          Ebinghaus, Merle
          Zyriax, Birgit-Christiane
        affil: Junior Research Centre for Reproduction: Sexual and Reproductive Health in Overweight and Obesity (SRHOO), University Medical Centre, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
      sug:
        subj:
          Mothers Psychosocial Factors
          Obesity Psychosocial Factors
          Breast Feeding
          Needs Assessment
          Attitude of Health Personnel Evaluation
          Support, Psychosocial
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Qualitative Studies
          Semi-Structured Interview
          Content Analysis
          Thematic Analysis
          Descriptive Statistics
          Germany
          Switzerland
          Midwives
          Professional Role
          Perinatal Period
          Male
          Female
      ab: Overweight and obesity are common among women of reproductive age. Women with a higher body mass index are less likely to initiate breastfeeding and often breastfeed a shorter duration. They face specific challenges in breastfeeding and in accessing appropriate breastfeeding support across the pre-, peri- and postnatal period. While breastfeeding is widely recognised as important for maternal and infant health, less is known about how breastfeeding support for this group is experienced and organised in practice from interprofessional perspectives. To explore breastfeeding challenges and support needs among women with overweight and obesity, primarily from the perspective of healthcare professionals, while including mothers' lived experience to contextualise findings. This qualitative study was conducted in Germany and Switzerland. 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals (n = 20) and mothers with lived experience (n = 2). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis following Kuckartz (2018), combining deductive and inductive coding. Trustworthiness was strengthened through team-based coding, reflexive memoing, iterative refinement of the coding frame, peer debriefing, and double coding. Participants described multiple challenges related to breastfeeding support for women with overweight and obesity, including inconsistent information, gaps in continuity of care, uncertainty about professional responsibilities, and a need for more sensitive and tailored support. Midwives were described as playing a particularly important role in providing practical and relational breastfeeding support. The findings highlight the need for more consistent, stigma-sensitive coordinated, and context-sensitive breastfeeding support for women with overweight and obesity across the perinatal period. Greater attention to continuity of care, role clarity, and tailored (inter-)professional support may improve breastfeeding care outcomes for this group.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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