Association between duration of exclusive breastfeeding and nursing mothers' self-efficacy for breastfeeding

• Published in: Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P 2021-01, Vol.55, p.e03702-e03702
• Main Authors: Moraes, Gécica Gracieli Wust de, Christoffel, Marialda Moreira, Toso, Beatriz Rosana Gonçalves de Oliveira, Viera, Cláudia Silveira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breast Feeding; Continuity of Patient Care; Female; Humans; Maternal-Child Nursing; Mothers; NURSING; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Prospective Studies; Self Efficacy
• ISSN: 0080-6234; 1980-220X; 1980-220X
• DOI: 10.1590/S1980-220X2019038303702

To verify the association of nursing mothers' self-efficacy for breastfeeding in the immediate postpartum period and six months after birth and obstetric and sociodemographic variables with the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Observational, longitudinal, prospective study which followed nursing mothers from the immediate postpartum period to the sixth month postpartum in a municipality in Southern Brazil. For data collection, a questionnaire with sociodemographic and obstetric variables and the scale Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - short form - were employed in the maternity ward and six months after birth. Inferential and descriptive statistics were employed. A total of 158 nursing mothers have participated. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in the sixth month was 36.70%, out of which 77.34% have presented a high self-efficacy score. Sociodemographic factors had a negative impact on exclusive breastfeeding. High levels of self-efficacy favor exclusive breastfeeding; however, such factor, in isolation, is not decisive for exclusive breastfeeding. Self-efficacy should be identified during the pre-natal period through mothers' employment and marital status data to promote preventive actions against early weaning.