A psychoanalytic exploration of the emotional experience of breastfeeding mothers who have experienced difficulties feeding their baby with tongue-tie. An interpretative phenomenological analytic study

Background: Infant tongue-tie or ankyloglossia is a relatively minor and easily treated condition associated with breastfeeding complications which have been linked with consequential emotional maternal distress. Research Aim: To gain insight into lived emotional experiences of mothers who have experienced difficulties breastfeeding their tongue-tied baby. Method: This was a qualitative study of four participants who had breastfed a baby with tongue-tie (aged 3-12 months) using a single Free Association Narrative Interview (FANI) - aimed at making available inner-world and unconscious experiences. Data analysis by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) focussed on unique idiographic aspects of individual lived experience leading to identified recurrent group themes. Within the IPA framework, aspects of FANI and Reverie Research methods were included, adopting psychoanalytic concepts, tools and understanding to promote and deepen the unconscious experience made available for understanding within the hermeneutic IPA process. Results: Four main Group Experiential Themes were identified: “The psychological and emotional complexity as a breastfeeding mother”; “The hope of connection and the pain of disconnection”; “Internal relationships with dependency and care in interaction with lived external experiences”; and “Alone and stuck in an unbearable situation – reaching breaking point”. Conclusions: Results suggest breastfeeding is both physical and emotional, with success linked with feelings of maternal confidence and capacity, and difficulties with the reverse. Maternal emotional experiences of infant tongue-tie were inextricably linked with pregnancy and delivery, and past and current lived experiences. Professional care was profoundly experienced - positively and negatively. If left feeling unsupported, participants reached a state of desperation disrupting their sense of connection with their baby and with the support around them. By contrast, timely, specialist attentive care and emotional containment promoted emotional recovery and a reparative breastfeeding relationship with their baby.