# A Cross-Sectional Content Analysis Exploring Women’s Experiences of Family Support Towards Tandem Breastfeeding in a Global Facebook Group sample

## TL;DR

This study examines how family members support or hinder tandem breastfeeding, using data from a global Facebook group to highlight the need for education and normalization of the practice.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into family support for tandem breastfeeding through a global Facebook group sample, identifying common supportive and unsupportive behaviors.

## Key findings

- The most common supportive behaviors included normalization and respect for the mother's choice.
- Unsupportive behaviors often involved judgment, pressure to stop, and misinformation.
- Education and visibility are crucial to reduce stigma and improve support for tandem-feeding mothers.

## Abstract

This study explored how tandem-feeding mothers felt supported or unsupported by their family members, to identify common responses to this breastfeeding practice.

Free-text data were collected via an online questionnaire from a global sample of 1,209 tandem-feeding mothers. An emergent content analysis was conducted on 795 statements describing supportive experiences and 1,342 statements describing unsupportive experiences. Coding categories were developed inductively from the data.

Five coding categories emerged from supportive comments and seven from unsupportive comments. The most prevalent supportive categories were normalisation of breastfeeding and respect for the mother’s choice (52%), emotional support and encouragement (19%), and support provided without specific context (11%). The most prevalent unsupportive categories were questioning, challenging or pressuring mothers to stop tandem feeding (34%); disapproving comments, gestures or insults that caused mothers to feel uncomfortable (22%); and misinformed comments about tandem feeding (18%).

Tandem-feeding mothers frequently experience both support and opposition from family members, with unsupportive responses often characterised by judgment and misinformation. These findings highlight the need for increased education and visibility of tandem feeding to normalise this practice and reduce stigma. Improving family understanding of tandem feeding may enhance social support for mothers and contribute to more positive breastfeeding experiences.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10995-026-04226-7.

What is already known: We know that family support can act as a positive enabler for breastfeeding. However, there is little research exploring experiences of family support specifically for women tandem breastfeeding. What this study adds: This study provides a perspective on family support for women of global Facebook breastfeeding support group. It identifies common supportive and unsupportive behaviours experienced with family members towards their tandem breastfeeding practice. Findings highlight both encouragement and opposition, demonstrating that wider normalisation and education are crucial for maternal wellbeing. Healthcare professionals can help reduce stigma, improve family support, and promote positive a breastfeeding experience.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10995-026-04226-7.