The Impact Of Maternity Bag Contents On Infant Breastfeeding

The Impact Of Maternity Bag Contents On Infant Breastfeeding ABSTRACT To determine the effect of breastfeeding disruptors found in the maternity bag such as pacifiers, bottles, silicone nipple shields, etc., on exclusive breastfeeding at the 3rd month. In a cross-sectional descriptive study, face-to-face surveys were conducted with 387 mothers in postnatal services in May-June 2023. The socio-demographic characteristics of mothers and the presence of bottles, pacifiers, silicone nipple shields in their maternity bags, which could affect breastfeeding, were evaluated. In maternity bags, 67.3% (n:255) had bottles, 63.9% (n:242) had pacifiers, 21.6% (n:82) had formula milk, 15.6% (n:59) had silicone nipple shields, and 31.1% (n:118) had breast pumps. The effect of the maternity bag contents on exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months was evaluated through logistic regression analysis. The risk of not exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months was 1.9 times higher in mothers with bottles compared to those without bottles, 1.6 times higher in mothers with pacifiers compared to those without pacifiers, and 2.5 times higher in mothers with formula compared to those without formula. The presence of pacifiers, bottles, formula milk, and silicone nipple shields in the maternity bag has a negative impact on breastfeeding. Therefore, it is necessary to draw attention to this issue during antenatal education sessions to prevent mothers from including breastfeeding deterrents in their maternity bags.