Table 3.

Study characteristics of included studies

Study reference	Aim	Country	Sample and recruitment	Method of data collection	Method of analysis
Garner et al. (2014) (1)	• To understand how health professionals across the continuum of care perceive breastfeeding among obese women. • To understand how health professionals experience providing care to obese women to identify potential barriers and ways to improve breastfeeding‐related care.	USA	• Thirty‐four health professionals in a range of roles (e.g., lactation consultants, nurse midwife, and nurses), and with experience ranging from 5 to 30 years. • Recruited participants by sending emails through listservs to health professionals in obstetrics, midwifery, family medicine, and paediatric practices.	Face‐to‐face, semistructured interviews	Content analysis
Garner et al. (2016) (2)	• To understand obese women's experiences and perceptions longitudinally, with a normal‐weight comparison group, to identify key experiences and barriers that are unique to or more common among obese women.	USA	• Thirteen pregnant obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg m2) and nine normal‐weight (BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg m2) women who intended to breastfeed. • Recruited through flyers and brochures placed in a variety of medical settings.	Face‐to‐face, semistructured interviews	Content analysis
Keely et al. (2015) (3)	• To explore the factors that influence breastfeeding practices in obese women who either had stopped breastfeeding or were no longer exclusively breastfeeding, despite intending to exclusively breastfeed for at least 16 weeks.	Scotland	• Twenty‐eight women with a BMI >30 kg m2 at the start of pregnancy, who breastfed at the first feed, and intended to breastfeed for at least 16 weeks, but were no longer exclusively breastfeeding at 6–8 weeks. • Recruited participants on the post‐natal ward.	Face‐to‐face, semistructured interviews	Thematic analysis
Lyons et al. (2019) (4)	• To explore the experiences of women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg m2 who have breastfed.	England	• Eighteen women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg m2 at the start of pregnancy who had breastfed and/or were currently breastfeeding at the time of the interview. • Recruited through online adverts posted on breastfeeding support groups and related forums.	Telephone, semistructured interviews	Thematic analysis
Massov (2015) (5)	• To explore the breastfeeding experiences and perspectives of clinically overweight and obese women. • To gain an understanding of what influenced their infant feeding decisions.	New Zealand	• Six women with a BMI > 30 kg m2 at the start of their pregnancy who had initiated breastfeeding, but were no longer exclusively breastfeeding at 4–6 weeks. • Recruited through Lead Maternity Carer, who identified eligible women from their hospital records.	Face‐to‐face, semistructured interviews	Thematic analysis

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.