COMPARISON OF TIMELY INITIATION OF BREASTFEEDING AND DISCHARGE TIMES OF MOTHERS WITH ETHNIC DIFFERENCES: NORTH MACEDONIA STUDY

Abstract

The quality of maternity and newborn care and training in the hospitals in North Macedonia is still inadequate today. This study aimed to examine their readiness for discharge and the first breastfeeding time according to ethnic groups in mothers who were postnatal in Tetovo State Hospital North Macedonia. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 202 Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Bosnian, and Romanian mothers who were hospitalized in the maternity service of Tetovo State Hospital in North Macedonia. Data were collected before discharge with a survey form and face-to-face interviews. The mothers reported that the first postpartum breastfeeding started after an average of 22.0±20.6 hours. Macedonian mothers reported that they received more training on shower and hygiene (p