Breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, is essential to ensure the short- and long-term health of infants and mothers. Sub-optimal breastfeeding practices currently take place in low income countries contributing to morbidity and mortality. This research explored the challenges and opportunities around exclusive breastfeeding in a large city in Ethiopia to inform a larger breastfeeding intervention. Fathers and mothers who had children less than 2 years of age, and who could speak, and understand Tigrigna were recruited from two health centres located in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) with fathers and two FGDs with mothers (n = 42) were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide to explore the challenges and opportunities related to breastfeeding. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed in Tigrigna and translated to English. The data were manually analysed using thematic analysis, generating open codes which were grouped to form themes. Four themes with 11 sub-themes emerged. The themes identifies were: conflicted emotions on the birth of baby (feeling happy and feeling worried); perspectives on intergenerational approaches (old-fashioned beliefs of grandparents and the power of science, breastfeeding in public, breastfeeding knowledge); gender roles as barriers and enablers (the burden on women, changes in men’s roles and the financial status of the household); the role of healthcare (delivery of health information to parents, the role of health care providers and perceptions of inadequate milk supply). Parents reported a range of opportunities with respect to breastfeeding, including the power of a scientific approach, the positive role of healthcare, and shifts within gender roles that maximized the potential support from fathers. However, there remains a tension between the beliefs of older generations and current best-practice. Parents continue to need ongoing support in order to practice optimal breastfeeding.

中文翻译：

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探索埃塞俄比亚最佳母乳喂养的挑战和机遇：一项定性的定性研究。

母乳喂养，尤其是纯母乳喂养，对于确保婴儿和母亲的短期和长期健康至关重要。当前在低收入国家中发生的次优母乳喂养做法助长了发病率和死亡率。这项研究探索了埃塞俄比亚一个大城市纯母乳喂养面临的挑战和机遇，以提供更大的母乳喂养干预措施。父亲和母亲的孩子不到2岁，并且会说话并能听懂底格里尼亚语，他们是从埃塞俄比亚Mekelle的两个保健中心招募来的。使用半结构化访谈指南，与父亲进行了两次焦点小组讨论（FGD），与母亲进行了两次FGDs（n = 42），以探讨与母乳喂养有关的挑战和机遇。讨论在Tigrigna中进行了录音和转录，并翻译成英语。使用主题分析对数据进行手动分析，生成开放代码，将其分组以形成主题。出现了四个带有11个子主题的主题。主题确定为：婴儿出生时的情绪冲突（感到快乐和担心）；关于代际方式的观点（祖父母的过时信念和科学力量，公共场所的母乳喂养，母乳喂养知识）；性别角色作为障碍和促成因素（妇女的负担，男子角色的变化和家庭的财务状况）；医疗保健的作用（向父母提供健康信息，医疗保健提供者的作用以及对牛奶供应不足的看法）。父母们报告了母乳喂养方面的一系列机会，包括科学方法的力量，医疗保健的积极作用以及性别角色的转变，这些最大化地发挥了父亲的潜在支持。但是，老一辈的信念与当前的最佳实践之间仍然存在紧张关系。父母继续需要持续的支持，以练习最佳的母乳喂养。