Determination of the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Levels on Breastfeeding Success in the NICU.

Background: Maternal anxiety and self-efficacy may significantly impact breastfeeding success. Understanding the relationship between these psychological factors and breastfeeding outcomes can help develop targeted interventions to support mothers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and anxiety levels on the success of breastfeeding among mothers with infants staying in the NICU.

Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in a private hospital from May 2018 to February 2019 in Turkey. The inclusion criteria for the study were as follows: mothers over 18 years old who had a live birth at 34 weeks or above without any breastfeeding hindrances such as cleft lip or palate and infants who were not discharged within the first 24 hours after birth, had no congenital anomalies, and did not undergo any surgical procedures. Data were collected with the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale and the State-Trait and Anxiety Inventory. LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool was used as a measure of breastfeeding success.

Results: The study involved 83 mothers and 83 infants. Breastfeeding self-efficacy had a statistically significant relationship on maternal success in terms of breastfeeding the infant for the first time ( P < .001) and 24 hours after the initial feeding ( P < .001). However, state and trait anxiety had no statistically significant effect on breastfeeding success ( P > .05).

Implications for practice and research: Interventions should be planned to increase maternal feelings of breastfeeding self-efficacy to support breastfeeding by the hospital staff to ensure success in the immediate postnatal period.