Social representations of donors on human milk donation in a university hospital

Abstract

Objective: To know the social representations of donors about human milk donation in a university hospital. Method: This is a qualitative research using the Theory of Social Representations as a conceptual framework. For the qualitative analysis, the content analysis method was used. Results: Participants were thirty donors from a human milk bank in a public university hospital in southern Brazil. The themes related to donation that emerged from the speeches of these donors were: human milk bank: place of welcoming and learning; to donate breast milk: it takes work and requires commitment and being a donor is sharing what you have and helping those in need. Conclusion: The donation of human milk was related to the feeling of pride and sharing, with the family having an important role in this process. In addition, it was observed the importance of the welcoming and support received at the milk bank as a way to strengthen the bond between donor and institution and encourage such practice.