Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam
There is a growing recognition globally that care regarding lactation following a perinatal death needs to potentially offer the opportunity for maternal donation. This article discusses this experience and perspectives from a human milk bank (HMB) in Vietnam. This is a descriptive exploratory case...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Global Women's Health |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2023.1198738/full |
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author | Hoang Thi Tran Hoang Thi Tran Tuan Thanh Nguyen Oanh Thi Xuan Nguyen Roger Mathisen Tanya M. Cassidy |
author_facet | Hoang Thi Tran Hoang Thi Tran Tuan Thanh Nguyen Oanh Thi Xuan Nguyen Roger Mathisen Tanya M. Cassidy |
author_sort | Hoang Thi Tran |
collection | DOAJ |
description | There is a growing recognition globally that care regarding lactation following a perinatal death needs to potentially offer the opportunity for maternal donation. This article discusses this experience and perspectives from a human milk bank (HMB) in Vietnam. This is a descriptive exploratory case study that has a long tradition in both the social and health sciences. Triangulated data collection involved a review of video data, interview data with the donor, and data review for the Da Nang HMB, a Center for Excellence in Breastfeeding. We found that although it is common for mothers in Vietnam to donate breastmilk to HMBs, it is less common for this to occur following perinatal loss. We offer a descriptive case study of the maternal loss of twins and a subsequent choice to donate for approximately 1 month to the Da Nang HMB, the first HMB in Vietnam. We discuss four reasons derived from this case regarding donation following perinatal loss. (1) A strong motivation to donate breastmilk when aware of the service, (2) donating breastmilk helped her deal with grief, (3) family members supported her through this tough time and supported her decision, and (4) health staff supported her decision. While human milk sharing (e.g., wet nursing) has been practiced in Vietnam, breastmilk donation from bereaved mothers has neither been discussed nor well-researched. Because maternal grief is complex and individual, deciding to donate breastmilk is a personal decision that needs to be supported, without creating guilt for those who do not wish to donate. |
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id | doaj.art-8a11b1369fca4a9b8ae67c9f7416ebfb |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2673-5059 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:47:12Z |
publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | Article |
series | Frontiers in Global Women's Health |
spelling | doaj.art-8a11b1369fca4a9b8ae67c9f7416ebfb2023-11-14T02:54:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Global Women's Health2673-50592023-11-01410.3389/fgwh.2023.11987381198738Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from VietnamHoang Thi Tran0Hoang Thi Tran1Tuan Thanh Nguyen2Oanh Thi Xuan Nguyen3Roger Mathisen4Tanya M. Cassidy5Neonatal Unit and Human Milk Bank, Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, Da Nang, VietnamDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Da Nang University, Da Nang, VietnamAlive & Thrive, Global Nutrition, FHI 360, Hanoi, VietnamNeonatal Unit and Human Milk Bank, Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, Da Nang, VietnamAlive & Thrive, Global Nutrition, FHI 360, Hanoi, VietnamSchool of Nursing, Psychotherapy, and Community Health (SNPCH), Dublin City University (DCU), Dublin, IrelandThere is a growing recognition globally that care regarding lactation following a perinatal death needs to potentially offer the opportunity for maternal donation. This article discusses this experience and perspectives from a human milk bank (HMB) in Vietnam. This is a descriptive exploratory case study that has a long tradition in both the social and health sciences. Triangulated data collection involved a review of video data, interview data with the donor, and data review for the Da Nang HMB, a Center for Excellence in Breastfeeding. We found that although it is common for mothers in Vietnam to donate breastmilk to HMBs, it is less common for this to occur following perinatal loss. We offer a descriptive case study of the maternal loss of twins and a subsequent choice to donate for approximately 1 month to the Da Nang HMB, the first HMB in Vietnam. We discuss four reasons derived from this case regarding donation following perinatal loss. (1) A strong motivation to donate breastmilk when aware of the service, (2) donating breastmilk helped her deal with grief, (3) family members supported her through this tough time and supported her decision, and (4) health staff supported her decision. While human milk sharing (e.g., wet nursing) has been practiced in Vietnam, breastmilk donation from bereaved mothers has neither been discussed nor well-researched. Because maternal grief is complex and individual, deciding to donate breastmilk is a personal decision that needs to be supported, without creating guilt for those who do not wish to donate.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2023.1198738/fullanthropologybereavementbreastfeedingchild health and nutritionhuman milkhuman milk banking |
spellingShingle | Hoang Thi Tran Hoang Thi Tran Tuan Thanh Nguyen Oanh Thi Xuan Nguyen Roger Mathisen Tanya M. Cassidy Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam Frontiers in Global Women's Health anthropology bereavement breastfeeding child health and nutrition human milk human milk banking |
title | Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam |
title_full | Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam |
title_fullStr | Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam |
title_full_unstemmed | Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam |
title_short | Case Report: I feel like a mother to other babies: experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from Vietnam |
title_sort | case report i feel like a mother to other babies experiences and perspectives on bereavement and breastmilk donation from vietnam |
topic | anthropology bereavement breastfeeding child health and nutrition human milk human milk banking |
url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2023.1198738/full |
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