Determining factors affecting mothers ' breastfeeding behavior

In infancy, where growth and development are fastest, the ideal food to provide the highest level of development with its unique composition is breast milk. There are many benefits of breast feeding both in terms of the baby and the mother. However, breastfeeding rates are not at the desired level in the world and in Turkey. In this study, quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together to determine the factors affecting mothers ' breastfeeding behavior. In the quantitative dimension of the study, 134 pregnant women admitted to the obstetrics and gynaecology clinic of a state hospital in Düzce province formed the sample of the study. At this stage, a "Personal Information Form" and a "Breastfeeding Assessment Scale" were used to determine breastfeeding attitudes. In the qualitative dimension of the study, two individual interviews were conducted in the first and sixth months of the postpartum in line with the semi-structured "Guide İnterview Form" with ten women who agreed to participate in the study. The data from the interview was evaluated by content analysis. Number and centelics, independent sample t test and one-Way ANOVA tests were used in the evaluation of quantitative findings. As a result of the research; The mean age of the mothers was 27.90 ± 5.31, the majority of them were not working, their multiparous and planned pregnancies, and the education of breastfeeding (35.8%) were found to be nurses / midwives at the rate of 75%. The score they received from the assessment scale of breastfeeding attitude averaged 110.43 ± 11.83 (min.68, max.144) is designated as. As a result of the analysis of qualitative data, most of the mothers breastfeed their babies immediately after birth, they have information about the benefits of breast milk, there are changes in daily, nutritional and social life after breastfeeding, they have positive meaning to breastfeeding, they can not breastfeed, negative emotional change such as stress, worry, guilt, insufficiency. It was determined that they live and get support from their environment in this period, they give additional nutrients in the early period except breast milk. The most important factors affecting breastfeeding were determined as the mother's starting to work and the problems they had with themselves and their babies. Key Words: Breast milk, breastfeeding, breastfeeding behavior, breastfeeding attitude, nursing.