Postpartum Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Success of Mothers on Home Maternity Care (Kraamzorg) In The Hague

Abstract

Breastfeeding has been shown repeatedly to be the single most effective way to prevent infant death. It plays a major role in children’s health and development, and significantly benefits the health of mothers. The investigator believes that the perceptions mother have in their ability to breastfeed, or their breastfeeding self-efficacy influences their intent, continuation and success to breastfeed. Maternal breastfeeding confidence and self-efficacy is a variable that is modifiable through interventions such as education and support. This study is needed to identify the level of breastfeeding efficacy in postpartum mothers in The Hague because a strong sense of self-efficacy encourages individuals to engage themselves fully in the activity, to endure hardships and setbacks. Postpartum mothers who were on their 8-10 days home-maternity care in The Hague (Kraamzorg) were asked to fill-in a questionnaire to measure their levels of breastfeeding self-efficacy before after home maternity care and their breastfeeding success at the end of this 8-10 days period. Results indicate that postpartum level of breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers before home maternity care is lower than after home maternity care. Furthermore, there is no significant statistical relationship as to the mother’s demographic characteristics and breastfeeding self-efficacy, except for the type of delivery. The demographic characteristics of mothers showed no significant statistical relationship with breastfeeding success of mothers in The Hague. Lastly, there is a direct correlation between the breastfeeding self-efficacy and success among postpartum mothers.