Abstract:

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the factors that make a difference between the breastfeeding practices of mothers in the early postpartum period and the fact that babies receive only breast milk. Materials and Methods: The study is of an analytical-cross-sectional type. In the sample, there were 335 mothers who gave birth in two public hospitals serving in Aydın, Efeler district between November 2018 and July 2019. The data were collected using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used to evaluate the data. Results: It was determined that 50.1% of the babies were breastfed immediately after/within the first half hour, 11.9% were given prelactal food, 21.5% were breastfed and 6.9% were bottle fed. It was determined that 28.7% of the babies were given additional nutrients and 50% of these foods were recommended by a physician. It was found that 54% of the mothers were informed about breastfeeding in the postpartum period and 53.5% of them controlled breastfeeding. As a result of the chi-square analysis, it was seen that there was a significant (p<0.05) difference between the mode of delivery and the hospital where the birth was performed and the only breast milk intake status of the babies. Conclusion: The findings obtained from our study show that mothers’ early breastfeeding practices are not in the desired situation. This is a factor that adversely affects both the duration of infants receiving only breast milk and their total breastfeeding time.

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