An Assessment of Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy among Primiparous Mothers in a Tertiary Care Setting
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52783/jns.v14.4160Keywords:
Breastfeeding self-efficacy, Primiparous mother, Prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacyAbstract
Background: Breastfeeding is often described as both a natural process and an acquired skill. In recent years, health systems across the globe have intensified efforts to promote breastfeeding. Despite these initiatives, global breastfeeding rates remain suboptimal. Only 40% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed, and just 44% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of birth. Additionally, only 45% of children continue to receive breast milk up to two years of age.
Objectives
- To assess the level of prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy among primiparous mothers.
- To determine the association between prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy and selected socio-demographic variables.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 80 primiparous mothers attending Krishna Hospital & Medical Research Centre (KH&MRC), Karad. The study utilized a single-group post-test research design. Data were collected using a standardized and validated tool, following informed consent. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis.
Results: The majority of participants were aged between 24–27 years, Hindu by religion, and had attained at least a graduate-level education. Most were homemakers, belonged to joint families, resided in rural areas, and were from upper middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds. Assessment of prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy revealed that 81.25% (n=65) of the mothers had low confidence, 15% (n=12) had moderate confidence, and only 3.75% (n=3) reported high confidence. No statistically significant association was found between breastfeeding self-efficacy and the selected socio-demographic variables.
Conclusion:This study explored the level of confidence among first-time mothers regarding breastfeeding during the prenatal period. The findings indicated a generally low level of prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy, with over 80% of participants lacking confidence. These results highlight the need for targeted antenatal interventions and educational strategies to enhance breastfeeding self-efficacy among primiparous women.
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