The relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and LATCH scores and affecting factors.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and LATCH scores and affecting factors in Turkish mothers.


BACKGROUND
The benefits of breastfeeding for newborns and mothers are well documented. Type of birth, maternal and neonatal complications; lack of support from healthcare professionals during breastfeeding, hospital routines, time and duration of mother-newborn attachment; and insufficiency of husband and family support are the most significant factors affecting breastfeeding initiation and mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy in early postpartum period. Therefore, it is important to determine how all these factors affect breastfeeding.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study.


METHODS
The sample of the study consisted of 303 postpartum women who were recruited at the obstetrics clinic of maternity hospital in one of the three largest city of Turkey. The data were obtained using Personal Identification Form, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form and LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool to determine breastfeeding success. The mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentages, correlation analysis and Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis were used in data collection.


RESULTS
The main finding of the study was a weak positive correlation between average LATCH scores and average Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form scores of women in the postpartum period. The women becoming pregnant four times or more got significantly higher average Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form and average LATCH scores, and the women married for 11 years or longer and the mothers starting to breastfeed their babies within 30 minutes of their birth got significantly higher average LATCH scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present research affirm the beneficial role of high self-efficacy in successful breastfeeding.


CONCLUSIONS
It is of great importance that midwives and obstetric nurses routinely evaluate breastfeeding self-efficacy and the capability of breastfeeding for early detection of problems related to breastfeeding.
Nursing Department, Söke School of Health, Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Nursing, Women's Health and Diseases Nursing Department, Aydın, Turkey.
Emine
E
Gerçek
Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Nursing, Child Health and Diseases Nursing Department, Aydın School of Health, Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey.
Seher
S
Sarıkaya Karabudak
Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey.
Nigar
N
Ardıç Çelik
Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey.
Aynur
A
Saruhan
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D009769:Object Attachment; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
LATCH assessment tool; breastfeeding self-efficacy; midwifes; obstetric nurse; postpartum women