Maternal opinions on the effects of grandmothers on breastfeeding behavior

The fact that grandmothers in different cultures around the world have a say in certain issues and the ability to guide younger women is remarkable in many issues as well as in breastfeeding. This research was planned to examine mothers' opinions about the effects of grandmothers on breastfeeding behavior. Population of the study consists of 404 mothers with 7-12-month-old babies which admitted six family health center in three district of Bursa province. The research was of descriptive type and was conducted between the 15 January-15 June 2019. The data were collected by using a questionnaire prepared by the researcher in accordance with the literature and by face-to-face interview method. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared test were used to evaluate the data. It was identified 37,9% of the mothers with an average age of 29,31±5,18 are high school graduates, 60,6% do not work, 67,8% are equal to their income and 74% do not live with their mother or mother-in-law. It was determined that 54,3% of the maternal grandmothers, who were 54,0 ± 7,75 years old, were primary school graduates and 89,7% were not working. It was determined that 50,3% of the paternal grandmothers, who were 57,3±7,44 years old, were primary school graduates and 94,4% were not working. According to the mothers, it was determined that 85,5% of maternal grandmothers and 65,6% of paternal grandmothers supported mothers in early breastfeeding; 89,1% of maternal grandmothers and 78,9% of paternal grandmothers responded positively to first milk delivery; 83,7% of maternal grandmothers and 71,2% of paternal grandmothers responded positively to breastfeeding frequency and duration; 52,4% of maternal grandmothers and 57,8% of paternal grandmothers recommended additional food in the first six months; 32,1% of grandmothers and 36,4% of grandmothers recommended formula in the first six months. According to the mothers, it was found that 96% of maternal and paternal grandmothers did not recommend to stop breastfeeding at any time; 75,4% of maternal grandmothers and 54,2% of paternal grandmothers positively affected breastfeeding; 77,2% of maternal grandmothers and 56,2% of paternal grandmothers helped to breastfeed. It was determined that mothers who thought that paternal grandmothers affected breastfeeding negatively, and that their maternal grandmothers/paternal grandmothers prevented breastfeeding or that their assistance was insufficient, switched to supplementary food within the first six months. The results of the study showed that mothers thought they were affected by maternal grandmothers/paternal grandmothers in the subjects of giving first milk, frequency and duration of breastfeeding, switching to additional food, stopping breastfeeding, feeding during breastfeeding, positive/negative effects of breastfeeding, helping/preventing breastfeeding. The nurses who are in closest contact with the mother during the period of pregnancy and the end of child birth are at the key point in terms of starting and continuing breastfeeding. By communicating with the mother, they should carefully observe and question the effects of maternal grandmothers/paternal grandmothers, who are in their immediate social circle, on the breastfeeding process. It is recommended by nurses to provide information training for breastfeeding by using visual training materials in environments where women and maternal grandmothers/paternal grandmothers are together.