Maternal Breastfeeding Attitudes: Pregnant Women and Factors Which Affect the Breastfeeding

Introduction: This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the breastfeeding attitudes of pregnant women and factors which affect the breastfeeding.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional and descriptive study. The study sample consisted of 152 pregnant monitored in obstetric clinics at a university hospital in Manisa. The study data were collected by using two forms “Pregnant Information Form” and “Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Tool”.

Results: The mean age of pregnant women was 27.69±5.62 years. When the sub-scale score mean of the pregnant women are investigated, it has been determined that Positive Breastfeeding Attitudinal Scale (PBS) score averages 242.11±57.04, Negative Breastfeeding Attitudinal Scale (NBS) score averages 142.01 ± 52.07, Social and Professional Support Scale (SPS) score averages 209.49 ± 52.56 and Breastfeeding Control Scale (BFC) score averages 38.76 ± 6.78.

Conclusions: The results illustrated that with a university degree and from nuclear families and multipara and aged pregnant women had positive attitudes towards breastfeeding. It was also noted that multipara and aged pregnant women had higher control perceptions of breastfeeding.