"I Pumped That Milk Off My Breast and Dumped It in Trash": Breastfeeding Experiences of Mothers Working in Hospital Radiation Settings-A Qualitative Study

The qualitative study was conducted to determine the breastfeeding experiences of mothers working in radiation areas in hospitals. The study was conducted in Turkey between December 2022 and February 2023 through in-depth interviews held with 13 mothers who met the inclusion criteria. The content analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the analyses of the data obtained in the interviews, four themes regarding the breastfeeding experiences of health professionals working in radiation environments in hospitals were identified. These themes were institutional/administrative obstacles, support systems, unhealthy childcare, and feeling of incompetence as a mother. The main theme of unhealthy childcare consisted of four categories, which were low-quality breast milk, toxic breast milk, frequent diseases, and future risk of cancer. The main theme of feeling of incompetence as a mother was composed of three categories, which were fear, feeling of guilt, and "Am I a mother?" The theme of institutional/administrative obstacles consisted of three categories, namely working environment, working duration, and awareness of managers. Finally, the theme of support systems included two categories, positive perceptions and negative perceptions. In this study, it was determined that the mothers who worked in radiation areas in hospitals experienced problems due to individual, social, and institutional factors. The main concern of the mothers was found to be hurting their infants with their breast milk. Suitable working environments and the adequacy of practices related to daycare centers, social support, and motherhood rights are the main needs of working mothers aiming to keep breastfeeding their infants.