The significance of early breastfeeding experiences on breastfeeding self‐efficacy one week postpartum

Abstract

Many new mothers do not reach their breastfeeding goals. Breastfeeding self‐efficacy is a modifiable determinant influenced by prior and new breastfeeding experiences. More knowledge about factors associated with early breastfeeding experiences and breastfeeding self‐efficacy would allow us to qualify breastfeeding counselling and increase breastfeeding duration. This study aimed to identify prevalence and factors associated with early negative breastfeeding experience, low breastfeeding self‐efficacy in the first week postpartum, and drop in self‐efficacy from late pregnancy to early postpartum period. A prospective longitudinal study was performed in Denmark from 2013 to 2014, including 2, 804 mothers. Results showed that 1 week postpartum almost 10% of mothers had negative breastfeeding experiences, 36% had low breastfeeding self‐efficacy, and 26% drop in self‐efficacy from pregnancy. Negative breastfeeding experiences were significantly associated with epidural analgesia, interrupted skin‐to‐skin contact immediately postpartum, short previous breastfeeding duration, and lacking social support. Low breastfeeding self‐efficacy was associated with low breastfeeding intention, short previous breastfeeding duration, and negative breastfeeding experiences in the first week postpartum. Finally, significant associations of drop in breastfeeding self‐efficacy from late pregnancy were no or short education, early negative breastfeeding experiences, prior short breastfeeding duration, and low general breastfeeding self‐efficacy in pregnancy. Negative breastfeeding experiences in the first week postpartum is crucial for maternal breastfeeding self‐efficacy 1 week following birth. It is important to identify and support mothers at risk of negative breastfeeding experiences in the first week following birth and address factors that might increase the probability of early successful breastfeeding experiences.

Determinants of breastfeeding self-efficacy among postpartum women in rural China: A cross-sectional study

“…Moreover, although these problems can be alleviated by educating women on effective breastfeeding techniques, it is often difficult for postpartum women in rural areas to obtain relevant counseling and guidance [ 46 ]. When breastfeeding problems arise but cannot be solved in a timely and effective manner, postpartum women’s BSE decreases, and mothers may eventually give up breastfeeding [ 47 ]. Therefore, public health services in rural China should focus on helping new mothers resolve early problems they encounter during the breastfeeding process, especially insufficient milk, poor sucking or latching, and slow milk secretion.…”

Parenting Self Efficacy Among Teen Mothers : A Scoping Review

“…Multiparous women who have positive or negative experiences can influence their intention and self-efficacy to their next child (Kronborg, Foverskov, Vaeth, & Maimburg, 2018). Other studies have shown that between negative experiences and lower self-efficacy, is more substantial in primparous women than in multiparous women (Nilsson, Kronborg, Rahbek, & Strandberg-Larsen, 2020).…”

Understanding social media users’ privacy-protection behaviors

“…Privacy experience is defined as the social media user having experienced a privacy violation or invasion. Bandura (1977) concluded that negative experience with a task reduces the individual’s self-efficacy regarding that task; and this relationship has subsequently been found in a wide array of settings, including information-search self-efficacy (Giallo and Little, 2003; Chiou and Wan, 2007), maternal self-efficacy (Harries and Brown, 2017), teaching self-efficacy (Norris et al , 2018), academic self-efficacy (Falconer and Djokic, 2019), information privacy self-efficacy (Chai et al , 2009) and others (Kvasková and Almenara, 2021; Nilsson et al , 2020). The same relationship between self-efficacy and experience is likely true for social media users who have experienced privacy violations.…”