Living in existential exile: women’s lived experience of intimate partner violence during the breastfeeding period

Exposure to intimate partner violence during breastfeeding is a forced existential exile in a vulnerable situation. Women are forced into unauthentic lives, where their whole being is questioned, and active resistance is inhibited by limited freedom. Awareness of the lived experience of IPV during breastfeeding is essential for healthcare professionals to help reduce the suffering and enhance the health and well-being of women exposed to IPV.