Maternal attachment and breastfeeding behaviors according to type of delivery in the immediate postpartum period

ABSTRACT

Summary Introduction: Breastfeeding is nutritious and has physiological benefits regarding the immunological aspect; also, it has an important role on maternal attachment and on raising a healthy baby. Objective: Our study was conducted to analyze maternal attachment and breastfeeding behaviors in the immediate postpartum period of mothers who had vaginal and cesarean birth. Method: This descriptive and comparative study was conducted with women who sought the childbirth clinic of a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. In the study, 175 mothers were attended; 83 of them had vaginal birth and 92 had cesarean birth. Data were collected by using Demographic Identification Form, Maternal Attachment Inventory and LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Score Tool. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used for data analysis. Results: We found that Maternal Attachment Inventory and the LATCH breastfeeding charting system of mothers that had vaginal birth was higher than that of mothers who had cesarean delivery. There was a positive correlation between Maternal Attachment Inventory and LATCH total score average for both cesarean and vaginal birth. Conclusion: Mothers who delivered their babies by cesarean section had problems related to maternal attachment and breastfeeding more often than those who delivered vaginally.