Comparion of perception of breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with healthy and sick children

Objective: This study was carried out to compare perception of breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with healthy and sick children. Methods: The study was carried out as a descriptive survey. The population of the study was composed of 62 mothers of healthy infants, and 63 mothers of sick infants who were hospitalized in Yakutiye Training and Research Hospital and agreed to participate in the study between February-April 2013 were included in the study. The data were collected via informative features form prepared by the researchers and by using Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale. In the evaluation of data, percentages, mean+/-SD, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. Results: In the study, 89.6% of the mothers were housewives, primary school graduates (54.4%), and 61.6% of them had middle income. It was found that breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with healthy infants (55.48+/-9.87) was higher than breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with sick infants (52.25+/-7.85) and the difference between them was found to be statistically significant (p< 0.05). Furthermore, it was found that mothers who had higher education and better economic level, and those breastfeeding their babies without formulas, in addition to those who received proper assistance for postpartum breastfeeding and proper baby care had higher breastfeeding self-efficacy perceptions (p< 0.05). Conclusion: As a result, mean breastfeeding self-efficacy scores were higher in mothers with healthy infants when compared with mothers having sick children with a statistically significant difference between groups Since breastfeeding self-efficacy scores of the mothers with sick children are comparatively lower, it is important to develop mother-infant relationship during earlt postnatal period, to encourage these mothers about breastfeeding, and to determine factors effecting their breastfeeding self-efficacy.