Fathers' involvement in their wives'/partners' breastfeeding: A qualitative study
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33024/minh.v8i4.912
Emotional Involvement Exclusive Breastfeeding Husband's Support Physical Involvement
Abstract
Background: Increasing the coverage of breastfeeding can improve survival and protect children from chronic diseases. However, the low coverage of exclusive breastfeeding is a problem caused by internal and external factors. One of the external factors is the lack of support from the husband.
Purpose: To explore the involvement of husbands in the process of mothers providing exclusive breastfeeding to their babies.
Method: Qualitative research with a generic qualitative approach. Participants in this study were breastfeeding mothers who had babies over six months old and had passed the period of exclusive breastfeeding. The number of breastfeeding mothers was 8 people with the principle of data saturation. The researcher was the main instrument in the study. Other instruments used were interview guidelines, field notes, and audio recorders. The interview results were analyzed thematically.
Results: Frequency distribution data were obtained from unemployed mothers as many as 75% with the majority of high school education with an age range of 25-34 years. The results of the study showed that mothers' acceptance of husbands' involvement in the process of providing exclusive breastfeeding included emotional involvement and physical involvement.
Conclusion: Mothers believe that husband's involvement is very important in the process of exclusive breastfeeding. The involvement received by mothers can be in the form of emotional involvement in the form of attention and informative advice and physical involvement as a form of practical support in the process of exclusive breastfeeding. Husbands who have sufficient information about exclusive breastfeeding and are aware of the importance of the health and development of babies will decide to be actively involved in the process of exclusive breastfeeding.
Downloads
References
Abdulahi, M., Fretheim, A., Argaw, A., & Magnus, J. H. (2021). Breastfeeding Education and Support to Improve Early Initiation and Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices and Infant Growth: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial from a Rural Ethiopian Setting. Nutrients, 13(4), 1204.
Agrina, A., Afandi, D., Suyanto, S., Erika, E., Dewi, Y. I., Helina, S., & Safira, N. (2022). Analysis of Supporting Factors Associated with Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice in the Urban Setting during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Children, 9(7), 1074.
Beggs, B., Koshy, L., & Neiterman, E. (2021). Women’s Perceptions and Experiences of Breastfeeding: A scoping review of the literature. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 2169.
Botha, E., Helminen, M., Kaunonen, M., Lubbe, W., & Joronen, K. (2020). Mothers’ parenting self-efficacy, satisfaction and perceptions of their infants during the first days postpartum. Midwifery, 88, 102760.
Burns, E. S., Duursma, L., & Triandafilidis, Z. (2020). Breastfeeding support at an Australian Breastfeeding Association drop-in service: A descriptive survey. International Breastfeeding Journal, 15(1), 101.
Chesti, N., Adriansyah, A. A., Ibad, M., & Herdiani, N. (2022). Relationship of Husband Support with Breastfeeding Behavior. Medical Technology and Public Health Journal, 6(1), 93–98.
Doan, T. T. D., Binns, C., Pham, N. M., Zhao, Y., Dinh, T. P. H., Bui, T. T. H., & Lee, A. (2020). Improving Breastfeeding by Empowering Mothers in Vietnam: A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Mobile App. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(15), 5552.
Fan, H. S. L., Wong, J. Y. H., Fong, D. Y. T., Lok, K. Y. W., & Tarrant, M. (2019). Breastfeeding outcomes among early-term and full-term infants. Midwifery, 71, 71–76.
Gibbs, G. R. (2018). Analyzing Qualitative Data. 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road London EC1Y 1SP: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Koksal, I., Acikgoz, A., & Cakirli, M. (2022). The Effect of a Father’s Support on Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review. Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(9), 711–722.
Kusuma, N. I., & Khofiyah, N. (2022). Practical support for breastfeeding mothers in achieving exclusive breastfeeding: A scoping review. Jurnal Kedokteran Dan Kesehatan Indonesia, 13(3), 308–320.
Kusuma, N. I., Kristiyanti, R., & Khanifah, M. (2023). Husband and Family Support for Breastfeeding Mothers with COVID-19: The Mother’s Perspective. In 4th Borobudur International Symposium on Humanities and Social Science 2022 (BIS-HSS 2022) (pp. 507-516). Atlantis Press.
Kusuma, N. I., & Sukmasary, F. (2023). Mental Health of Breastfeeding Mothers during COVID-19 Pandemic. Women, Midwives and Midwifery, 3(2), 41–56.
Longworth, M. K., Furber, C., & Kirk, S. (2021). Fathers’ roles matter too: An ethnographic study examining fathers’ roles and the influences on their roles during labour and birth. Midwifery, 92, 102857.
Mardiyaningsih, E., Widyawati, W., & Hapsari, E. D. (2024). Mothers’ perception of husband support during breastfeeding: A qualitative study in Indonesia. Narra J, 4(3), e1149.
Ministy of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. (2012). Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia Nomor 33 Tahun 2012 tentang Pemberian Air Susu Ibu Eksklusif. Retrieved from: https://pergizi.org/images/stories/downloads/PP/pp%2033%202012%20ttg%20pemberian%20asi%20ekslusif.pdf
Monteiro, J. C. dos S., Guimarães, C. M. de S., Melo, L. C. de O., & Bonelli, M. C. P. (2020). Breastfeeding self-efficacy in adult women and its relationship with exclusive maternal breastfeeding. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 28, e3364.
Mufdlilah, M., Ernawati, D., & Ambarwati, D. M. (2022). Effectiveness of husband and care provider support of exclusive breast feeding in nursing mothers: A Systematic Literature Review. Brunei International Medical Journal, 18(1), 24–31.
Mufdlilah, M., Kusuma, N. I., & Suryaningsih, E. K. (2023). Mother’s Experience with COVID-19 in Breastfeeding: A Phenomenological Study. SAGE Open Nursing, 9, 237796082311723.
Natalia, M. S., Yuliana, W., & Nulhakim, B. (2022). The importance of husband support for breastfeeding during pandemic COVID-19. Bali Medical Journal, 11(3), 1354–1356.
Nepali, S., & Shakya, M. (2019). Husband’s Support for Breastfeeding and Breastfeeding Efficacy of Nepalese Mothers. Health Prospect, 18(1), 14–20.
Nuzzi, G., Trambusti, I., Di Cicco, M. E., & Peroni, D. G. (2021). Breast milk: More than just nutrition! Minerva Pediatrics, 73(2).
Pakilaran, G., Rasni, H., Nur, K. R. M, & Wijaya, D. (2022). Family Support on Exclusive Breastfeeding in Babies Aged 0-6 Months in Indonesia: Literature Review. Nursing and Health Sciences Journal (NHSJ), 2(2), 104–107.
Pambuko, Z. B., Setiyo, M., Praja, C. B. E., Setiawan, A., Yuliastuti, F., Muliawanti, L., & Dewi, V. S. (2023). Proceedings of the 4th Borobudur International Symposium on Humanities and Social Science 2022 (BIS-HSS 2022) (Vol. 778). Springer Nature.
Pratiwi, B. A., Kartini, A., Jati, S. P., & Sriatmi, A. (2023). Partner’s Role in Breastfeeding Continuity: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Study. Amerta Nutrition, 7(2SP), 336–343.
Renata, B., & Agus, D. (2021). Association of Husband Support and Postpartum Blues in Postpartum Women: Hubungan antara Dukungan Suami dan Gangguan Postpartum Blues pada Perempuan Pascamelahirkan. Indonesian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 140–143.
Rosa, E., Rohana, I., & Ulfa, M. (2022). Effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding holistic education. Rawal Medical Journal, 47(4), 1.
Sari, N., Herawati, L., & Rubaya, A. K. (2021). Effect of Husband’s Support in the Implementation of Oxytocin Massage by Midwife on the Production and Time Of Colostrum Secretion Among Post C-Section Delivery Women. International Journal of Social Science, 1(1), 31–36.
Setyowati, I., Rohaya, R., & Rahmawati, E. (2023). Factors Associated With Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice. Jurnal Kebidanan Malahayati, 9(2), 214–219.
Srisopa, P., & Lucas, R. (2021). Maternal perception of paternal breastfeeding support: A secondary qualitative analysis. Midwifery, 102, 103067.
Stang, S., Abdullah, T., & Marwang, S. (2021). The Influence of Collaborative Model between the Role of Husbands and Healthcare Workers on Mother’s Behavior in Giving Exclusive Breastfeeding. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 9(E), 794–797.
United Nations Children'd Fund. (2018). Breastfeeding: A Mother’s Gift, for Every Child. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/UNICEF_Breastfeeding_A_Mothers_Gift_for_Every_Child.pdf
Wallenborn, J. T., Levine, G. A., Carreira Dos Santos, A., Grisi, S., Brentani, A., & Fink, G. (2021). Breastfeeding, Physical Growth, and Cognitive Development. Pediatrics, 147(5), e2020008029.
World Health Organization. (2017). Guideline. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK487819/
World Health Organization. (2022). Breastfeeding. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/
Wulandari, S., & Nurlaela, E. (2021). Hubungan Dukungan Suami dengan Pemberian ASI Eksklusif: Literature Review. Prosiding Seminar Nasional Kesehatan, 1, 1984–1995.
Yuliana, E., Murdiningsih, M., & Indriani, P. L. N. (2022). Hubungan Persepsi Ibu, Dukungan Suami, dan Dukungan Tenaga Kesehatan terhadap Pemberian Asi Ekslusif pada Ibu Menyusui di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Cahya Maju Lempuing Oki Tahun 2021. Jurnal Ilmiah Universitas Batanghari Jambi, 22(1), 614.
Zakiyah, V., Azriliyani, R., Afriani, J., Rahmawati, Y., & Muadi, M. (2024). Oxytocin Massage, Breast Milk Production, and Comfort in Post Partum P0A1 Mothers with Spontaneous Delivery: A Case Study in the Delima Room of RSUD Waled. Al Makki Health Informatics Journal, 2(4), 270–273.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Nur Intan Kusuma
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
