Agregando novos sentidos ao ser mulher a partir da vivência da excitação sexual ao amamentar

Abstract

This study employed a qualitative and descriptive approach, with the use of the Grounded Theory, from the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism. The goals were to describe the meanings attributed by women to sexual arousal experimented while breastfeeding; to discuss the strategies utilized by these women in order to deal with the sexual excitation felt when breastfeeding; and to analyze and interpret, from the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism, the experience of going through sexual arousal while breastfeeding as reported by women. The study was carried out in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in public environments and locations chosen by the participants. The recruitment of the participants took place during an event named “One Thousand Women Breastfeeding”, a campaign in favor of breastfeeding, held at 15th National Meeting of Breastfeeding in 2019, where the topic was also approached in lectures, lessons and scientific events. Data collection and analysis were performed simultaneously, after the approval of the Brazilian Research Ethics Committee, under registration number CAAE: 20167419500005282, for the period from November 2019 to January 2020, in compliance with all of the requirements of resolution 466/2012 and 510/2016 of the National Health Council in Brazil. Twelve participants were interviewed and organized into two sample groups. The results were ordered under four categories: the socialization of breastfeeding and appropriation of the body and of the female sexuality; The different ways of experiencing sexual arousal while breastfeeding; signifying, feeling and acting in different ways in face of the sexual arousal while breastfeeding; recognizing the barriers for engaging in dialogue regarding sexual arousal while breastfeeding. The meanings attributed to the experience of sexual arousal while breastfeeding were expressed as part of life and of breastfeeding as well as being an inappropriate sensation to be felt in the act of breastfeeding. The strategies used by women in order to deal with sexual arousal when breastfeeding were: to let it flow, go with the flow, let it happen and wait for the sensations of arousal to go away; establish limits with the body and breastfeeding; remove the baby from the breast; deprive breastfeeding for a certain time; introduce other foods to decrease the frequency and duration of breastfeeding; think of other things and take a deep breath; and finally the decision to wean the baby off. These meanings and strategies helped to understand the process “waking up as a woman” and the central phenomenon of the study, entitled “adding new meanings to being a woman from the experience of sexual arousal when breastfeeding”, involving “disconnecting herself from the world” and connecting to herself ”, in the attempt of regaining the body for herself and the self-knowledge of her sexuality. To sum up, this study has reached the conclusion that the social behaviors instituted by the socialization of breastfeeding play a significant role in women’s lives by normalizing the appropriation of the female body during motherhood and criminalizing any possibility of seeking pleasure with their own bodies.