The Relationship Between Postpartum Maternity Blues and Breastfeeding

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between postpartum maternity blues and breastfeeding and the effect of maternity blues on breastfeeding. Methods: This cross‐sectional was conducted with 302 mothers who applied to Taşköprü State Hospital between May and December 2023 and met the research criteria. Data were collected using a “Sociodemographic Information Form”, the “Postpartum Maternity Blues Assessment Scale”, and the “Breastfeeding Attitude Scale”. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, as well as t‐tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and simple linear regression were used. A significance level of p<.05 and a 95% confidence interval were applied in all statistical tests. Results: The study found that the mean age of the mothers was 29.70±3.74 years, 54.3% were high school graduates, 77.8% were not employed, 78.1% had an income equal to their expenses, and 68.5% lived in a nuclear family. The mean total score on the Postpartum Maternity Blues Assessment Scale was 63.10±11.68, and the mean total score on the Breastfeeding Attitude Scale was 89.01±17.21. There was a statistically significant negative relationship between the scores on the Postpartum Maternity Blues Assessment Scale and the Breastfeeding Attitude Scale (p<.05). The level of postpartum maternity blues explained 88.7% of the variance in the breastfeeding attitudes of the mothers. Conclusion: As maternal blues increases in the postpartum period, breastfeeding attitude decreases. © 2024, Ataturk Universitesi. All rights reserved.