“Sometimes my body is not mine”: Maternal ambivalence, bodily limits, and relational meaning in tandem breastfeeding

BACKGROUND: Tandem breastfeeding remains understudied in research and is often poorly understood in clinical practice. Greater understanding of its emotional, bodily, and relational dimensions may help health professionals provide more appropriate support. OBJECTIVE: To explore mothers' experiences of tandem breastfeeding, with particular attention to ambivalence, bodily limits, and perceived relational meanings. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 16 mothers who were currently practising tandem breastfeeding or had stopped within the previous two months. Data were collected through semi-structured online interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive approach. Sociodemographic data were summarized descriptively. FINDINGS: Four interrelated themes emerged: (1) maternal ambivalence and bodily intrusion; (2) critical moments and limits of availability; (3) social judgement and maternal positioning; and (4) meaning-making and personal transformation. Mothers described tandem breastfeeding as a relationally meaningful practice, but also as one marked by bodily saturation, emotional overload, and shifting limits. Feelings of closeness, guilt, exhaustion, and gratitude often coexisted. Participants also described stigmatizing social responses and contradictory professional advice, alongside efforts to protect their autonomy and make sense of the experience. CONCLUSIONS: Tandem breastfeeding was experienced as a complex and meaningful caregiving practice shaped by maternal ambivalence, bodily limits, and relational intentions. Rather than representing contradiction or failure, ambivalence formed part of mothers' ongoing negotiation of care for themselves and their children. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Health professionals should provide evidence-informed, non-judgmental support for mothers practising tandem breastfeeding. This includes acknowledging maternal ambivalence, validating bodily limits, and understanding tandem breastfeeding not only as a feeding practice but also as a relational and emotional experience within the family system.