Table 3.
List of core themes and sub-themes for optimal breastfeeding practices emerging from inductive data analysis and their code prevalence according to the healthcare providers.
| Core theme | Sub-themes | Code prevalence * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOD | Resident doctors | Nurses | ||
| Perceived barriers | Anxiety related to COVID-19 | All | Most | Most |
| Reduced quality of provider–patient interaction | Most | Many | All | |
| RDMs lacked support as attendants' (family members) entry into the wards was restricted | Most | Most | Many | |
| Mother and newborn were discharged separately | Some | Some | ||
| Inadequate/ lack of support with follow-up care | Few | Some | Few | |
| Inadequate staff capacity | Most | Most | Many | |
| Separation of mother and newborn immediately after birth and its prolongation | Most | Most | Most | |
| Inconsistent and evolving guidelines | Most | Some | ||
| Inadequate infrastructure and logistics | Many | Most | Most | |
| Perceived enablers | Additional measures were undertaken for control of infection and anxiety among patients and providers | All | Most | Many |
| Optimizing time for discharge from hospital for mother–newborn dyads | Most | Many | Few | |
| Infrastructural modifications and “zoning” during COVID | Most | All | Most | |
| Guidelines coming up after initial months and their sharing and adherence by staff | Few | Some | Few | |
| Evolution of existing practices for newborn care and breastfeeding during COVID | Most | Most | Most | |
| Change in attitude of patients and healthcare workers with time | Many | Some | Many | |
| Leadership in promoting breastfeeding in newborn | Some | None | Few | |
| Good coordination and teamwork between Obstetrics and Neonatology | Most | Some | Few | |
| Innovation of follow-up practices | Many | Many | Some | |
| Staff deployment | Most | Some | ||
| Promotion of optimal breastfeeding in the COVID-19 pandemic | Most | Most | ||
| Support (physical) provided to RDMs during the isolation | Some | Few | ||
| Regular testing for COVID | Some | |||
| Able to follow newborn care practices because case load of deliveries during COVID is low | Some | |||
| Willingness of the RDMs to be counseled | Some | |||
| Choice given to the family to decide rooming in if mother is positive | Few | |||
| Positive receptivity of breastfeeding counseling by RDMs | Most | |||
*
Percentages grouped as: “None (0%); Few (below 25%); Some (25–49%); Many (50–74%); Most (74–99%); All (100%)”.
HOD, heads of department/ unit of Neonatology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics; RDM, Recently delivered mother, COVID, Coronavirus disease.