The effect of breastfeeding attitude and breastfeeding self-efficacy perception on maternal postpartum quality of life

The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of breastfeeding attitude and breastfeeding self-efficacy perception on maternal postpartum quality of life. Between January and June 2019,125 mothers who gave birth that applied to the Afyonkarahisar University of Health Sciences Gynecology and Obstetrics policlinic were included. The data were collected using the questionnaire technique using mothers' Personal Information Form, the Breastfeeding Attitude Rating Scale (BARS), the Postpartum Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Perception Scale (PBSEPS), the Postpartum Quality of Life Scale (PQLS). SPSS 18.0 windows package program, number, percentage distribution and arithmetic average were used in the analysis of the data. The relationship between the scales was analyzed with Shapiro-Wilk test whether it was normally distributed or not, since p˂0.05 was used, non-parametric test was used. Mann-Whitney U Test was used to compare two groups for a variable. Kruskal-Wallis H Test was used to compare two or more groups related to a variable. Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (PBSEPS) score average was found to be 60.02 ± 8.8. Mothers' Postpartum Quality of Life Scale satisfaction dimension Cronbach's Alpha value 0,94; Cronbach's Alpha value of PQLS importance dimension was found to be 0,95. The breastfeeding self-efficacy of the mothers participating in our study was found to be high. We can say that the breastfeeding attitudes of the mothers participating in our study are positive. There was no statistically significant difference between socio demographic characteristics such as education level of mothers, profession of the spouse and quality of life after birth(p<0,05). A statistically significant relationship was found between socio-demographic characteristics such as mothers' last delivery, prenatal care, perceived income, and post-natal quality of life(p<0,05). A moderate positive relationship was found between the mothers' breastfeeding attitude and breastfeeding self-efficacy perception and postpartum quality of life. A positive correlation was found between postpartum quality of life and its sub-dimensions. And breastfeeding interventions should be monitored to protect the health of the mother and baby. Key words: Breast milk, Breast-Feeding Attitude, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Perception, Postpartum Quality of Life.