The Effect of Breastfeeding Counseling Provided During Pregnancy on Postpartum Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Infant Feeding Attitudes

Breast milk is a natural source of nutrition that provides everything an infant needs for healthy physical growth, brain development, and a strong immune system. Starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, continuing exclusively for the first six months, and maintaining it alongside safe and appropriate complementary foods for up to two years or longer is one of the most effective ways to support a child's health and survival. However, only 43% of newborns worldwide are breastfed within that first hour. The highest early breastfeeding rates are found in Eastern and Southern Africa (65%), while the lowest are in East Asia and the Pacific (32%). In Türkiye, 71% of infants begin breastfeeding within the first hour after birth.

Although breastfeeding is a natural and physiological process, it also needs to be learned and it is not always easy to sustain. Several factors can make breastfeeding more challenging. These include the mother's young age, limited maternity leave for working mothers, lack of support from family or a partner, mode of birth, insufficient knowledge about breastfeeding, limited access to prenatal care and health education, low milk supply, difficulties with latching, medical issues affecting either the mother or the baby, and discomfort or embarrassment about breastfeeding in public.

According to the literature, face-to-face support from healthcare professionals promotes breastfeeding among healthy mothers and full-term infants. A mother's decision to start and continue breastfeeding, along with her attitudes and efforts toward it, is closely linked to her level of self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy beliefs play a key role in shaping an individual's behavior, motivation, and actions. Bandura (1977) defines self-efficacy as a person's belief or confidence in their ability to plan and carry out the actions necessary to handle future situations. In breastfeeding, self-efficacy is a crucial factor. It influences whether a mother chooses to breastfeed, how much effort she puts into it, whether she continues despite initial challenges, and how actively she works to improve her breastfeeding skills.

Breastfeeding self-efficacy during the prenatal period plays a key role in shaping a mother's intention and readiness to breastfeed after birth. This study examined the impact of breastfeeding counseling provided to pregnant women during the prenatal period on their breastfeeding self-efficacy and infant feeding attitudes in the postpartum period.