An exploration of dress and identity among new mothers: The implications of breastfeeding for clothing choice

One of the biggest challenges associated with breastfeeding is finding clothing that is conducive to this process. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of breastfeeding mothers relative to clothing choice. New mothers who breastfeed their infants must consider the clothing they wear during this time, especially in terms of functionality, comfort and aesthetics, while simultaneously make clothing choices that help communicate their identities as new mothers. Little research exists which explores how women use clothing in the development of this identity or the role of breastfeeding within this process, therefore a qualitative research approach was employed to examine the experiences of breastfeeding mothers relative to clothing choice. Upon IRB approval from the researchers’ university, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 women who were mothers for the first time within six months of recruitment. As a result of iterative analysis, three themes were identified and used to structure the interpretation. As this study reveals, women who breastfeed their infants face several challenges in terms of clothing choice, which impact how they use clothing to integrate breastfeeding into their identities as new mothers.