Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Among Parturient Women in Shanghai: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding self-efficacy has been shown to be a strong predictor of breastfeeding initiation and duration; however, factors associated with breastfeeding self-efficacy in China are unclear. Research aims: The aims were (a) to describe the breastfeeding self-efficacy of parturient women in Shanghai, China and (b) to identify the sociodemographic factors associated with mothers’ breastfeeding self-efficacy. Methods: This is a cross-sectional retrospective descriptive study. Through convenience sampling, breastfeeding mothers ( N = 801) were recruited to assess breastfeeding self-efficacy before discharge from the hospital. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics, level of breastfeeding self-efficacy, and correlations between them. Results: In the process of breastfeeding, 52.2% ( n = 418) of participants encountered breastfeeding problems, 37.1% ( n = 297) perceived an insufficient milk supply, 82.4% ( n = 660) reported attending breastfeeding classes, but only 37.1% ( n = 297) chose exclusive breastfeeding. Chinese mothers reported a moderate level of breastfeeding self-efficacy, with an item mean score of 3.67 (score = 1–5). Whether or not encountering breastfeeding problems, infant feeding pattern (fully breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, no breastfeeding) in the previous 24 hours, whether or not perceiving insufficient milk, and main caregiver’s positive attitude toward breastfeeding (ranging from 1 to10, higher score indicating more positive attitude) were correlated with participants’ breastfeeding self-efficacy score. (The correlation coefficients were −0.432, 0.377, −0.364, and 0.353, respectively.) Conclusion: The misperception of insufficient milk and main caregiver’s attitude toward breastfeeding were important factors for breastfeeding self-efficacy. Greater efforts should be made during breastfeeding education and support.

The Effect of Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills on Breastfeeding Success: A Hypothetical Model

“…Although breastfeeding is important in the Turkish culture, the thought that milk is insufficient, chest deformities, painful nipples, and concerns about being a parent can affect breastfeeding competence of mothers, especially in the first days after birth (Balogun et al, 2016; Şahin et al, 2013). The belief that milk is insufficient, a bad breastfeeding pattern in the first 24 hours, and breastfeeding problems were found to negatively affect the self-efficacy levels of Chinese women (Li, Guo, Jiang, & Eldadah, 2018). Breastfeeding problems can lead to a sense of failure, difficulty in adaptation, and other negative experiences of motherhood roles.…”

Breastfeeding practice in China from 2013 to 2018: a study from a national dynamic follow-up surveillance

“…However, even as recently as 2018, China relied on out-of-date data from the China National Health Services Survey 2008 and 2013 Nutrition and Health Surveillance System to report statistics to the UNICEF Global Database on Infant and Young Child Feeding [10]. Other domestic data on breastfeeding practices in China come from scattered cross-sectional surveys [11][12][13][14]. Moreover, two national surveys report obviously different prevalence of EBF in China in the same year [15,16].…”

The Effect of Buzz Group Modification Method on Exclusive Breastfeeding Against Self Efficacy in Pregnant Women: A Quasi Experiment24

“…Individuals will have a tendency to increase motivation and confidence to take action if they see that those who have already been able to succeed through the problem. Small groups when implementing the buzz group modification get problems that were discussed in groups, this allowed for mothers who have experience in giving breastfeeding to tell the inexperienced, thus it can bring self-efficacy to inexperienced mothers 3,12 .…”

“…There was study examined that the lower the self-efficacy of a person, the lower the success rate. Until now there are still mothers who are worried that the production of breast milk is a little, thus, the reality that occurs mothers really experience disruptions in the production DOI Number: 10.37506/v20/i1/2020/mlu/194345 of breastfeeding 3,4 . Many ways have been done by the government to socialize exclusive breastfeeding, namely the formation of government regulation number 33 of 2012 concerning exclusive breastfeeding and various kinds of study on exclusive breastfeeding have been done, but until now Indonesia has not been able to achieve the target that was set by the government in 2010, namely coverage exclusive breastfeeding for infants aged 0-6 months is around 80%.…”