Restoring Motherhood: A qualitative study about the significance of breastfeeding to incarcerated pregnant women in a New York City Jail

This study aims to explore the breastfeeding knowledge, beliefs and experiences of pregnant women incarcerated in New York City jails. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 pregnant women in a New York City Jail. Research methods were inspired by grounded theory. Results: Three main themes emerged from women's collective stories about wanting to breastfeed and the challenges that they experienced. First, incarceration removes women from their familiar social and cultural context, which creates uncertainty in their breastfeeding plans. Second, incarceration and the separation from their high risk lifestyle compels women to want a new start in motherhood. Third, planning to breastfeed represents a new start in motherhood and gives women the opportunity to redefine their maternal identity and roles. The overarching theory generated from these themes revealed that, for incarcerated women in NYC jails, breastfeeding has the potential to restore their sense of self-worth by contributing to their goal of being a good mother Conclusion: Breastfeeding is valued by incarcerated pregnant women and has the potential to contribute to their psychosocial wellbeing. Understanding the breastfeeding experiences and views of high-risk women in the unique context of incarceration is important for guiding breastfeeding promotion activities to this transient and vulnerable population. Implications from the findings will be useful to correctional facilities and community providers working in areas that serve a similar high-risk population.