ABSTRACT
The corporal expression of the HIV positive woman/mother role in the face of the impossibility of Breastfee-Ding: the understanding of the meaning of the nurse in light of the expression theory
Motivated by inquietudes and initial pre-reflections that originated from my experiences as a teacher and assistance nurse in the breastfeeding area, I tried to come closer to the understanding of the meaning of the impossibility of breastfeeding for the HIV positive woman/mother role. For such venture I sought for theoretical enlightenment in the philosophical line denominated phenomenology, more specifically the phenomenological theory of expression of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and methodological support in the hermeneutic phenomenology of Max van Manen. Aiming to reach the objective of the study, I intentionally approximated myself to 24 HIV positive women/mothers with age between 18 and 35, that were interned in two public maternities of the Greater Area of Florianópolis, SC, during the period of July to November of 2003, being these the significant subjects that composed the universe studied. From this approximation, made possible by means of authentic existential meetings, nurtured by dialogue, ethics and mutual respect I obtained experience descriptions expressed corporally by the women themselves, which were substantially enriched by field observations. The structural analysis of the data obtained, configured in the pattern of thematic units and essential themes allowed me to unveil three meanings that were presented around a central meaning that were comprehended as: perceiving oneself as a woman being: I'm the kind of person that does not cause any harm to people; perceiving oneself as mother being: I'm a mom (I am very "motherly"); perceiving oneself as a woman/mother being deprived of the act of breastfeeding: it breaks my heart to want to breastfeed and not be able to, respectively. Several essential themes emerged around the central meaning of the study: attributing a meaning to breastfeeding: (re)taking previous experiences; perceiving the milk secreted by one's body: my milk is normal, but it is not normal; and when lying is necessary: my milk did not come, I don't have any milk; preferably without a band, not wearing a band: this has to end!; having to feed the baby with another milk: perceptions and movements in the spatiality of the group lodgings; re-signifying breastfeeding: since I can't breastfeed I will give him more attention, extra care - symbolic breastfeeding. Such meanings, unfolded into several essential themes were demonstrated in a pattern of an intricate network, where they appear intimately related to one another, forming an integrated whole and in the group behavior the corporal expressivity of the HIV positive woman/mother being deprived of the act of breastfeeding. Although they are circumscribed within a very restricted universe, they become valuable subsidies for the understanding of the meaning of the impossibility of breastfeeding for the HIV positive woman/mother being, offering important contributions not only for the formulation of public policies, as well as also for the assistance, teaching research and knowledge of Nursing in general.
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
28 Mar 2011 -
Date of issue
Sept 2004
