The Effect of Breast Milk and Breastfeeding Education Given to Prenatal Mothers on Postnatal Breastfeeding Behaviors and Attitudes

ABSTRACT Introduction: Antenatal breastfeeding education plays a crucial role in positively shaping mothers' postnatal attitudes and practices, thereby promoting sustained breastfeeding and enhancing neonatal health outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of breast milk and breastfeeding education provided to antenatal mothers on their postnatal breastfeeding behaviors and attitudes. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Ankara University Cebeci Research and Practice Hospital between August 2021 and August 2023. In the study, data were collected from 199 mothers who gave birth at 36 weeks or more in the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic, who were not separated from their babies for any reason after birth, who did not have any health problems that could prevent breastfeeding, and who agreed to participate in the study, using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Effects of Breast Milk and Breastfeeding Education on Postpartum Breastfeeding Behaviors Form, and the Breastfeeding Attitude Assessment Scale questionnaires 6 months after birth. Descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA test, and independent groups t-test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Among the 199 mothers, 100 received prenatal education on breastfeeding, while 99 did not. Notably, 97% of mothers who received training planned to breastfeed for over two years, compared to only 8.1% of those without training (p<0.01). Additionally, the average score on the breastfeeding attitude scale was significantly higher in the educated group (132.14±8.42) than in the uneducated group (68.28±10.85) (p<0.01). Conclusion: It was found that mothers who received antenatal breast milk and breastfeeding education had better postnatal breastfeeding attitudes and breastfed longer than mothers who did not receive education. There was no difference in duration of first breastfeeding or duration of first skin-to-skin contact between mothers who received education and those who did not. Keyswords: Breast Milk, Breastfeeding, Education.