Pregnant Women's Opinions About Breast Milk And Breastfeeding Myths

Abstract

Beliefs lack of scientific value are defined as myths. Health workers have an important role in the identification and in the removal of myths related to breast milk and breasfeeding.

The study is a descriptive type. 425 pregnant women who presented to a hospital's antenatal clinic in Sivas between 15 December 2014 and 15 February 2015 were included. The questionnaire was applied as a face-to-face interview method. Data were evaluated by using SPSS 14.0.

The average age of pregnant women is 27±5.31. 84.9% of pregnant women are planning to feed their babies with only human milk for the first six months and 84.7% of them are planning to breastfeed their babies until they're 2 years old. All the pregnant women think that breastfeeding is beneficial for their baby but 92.6% of them think that it is beneficial for themselves. Pregnant women believe in myths. For example, 68.5% of them believe that breast milk or formula amount given to baby determines breastfeeding frequency, 95.8% of them believe that insufficient milk production is usually due to stress, fatigue and inadequate fluid and food intake, 92.9% of them believe that each time before breastfeeding, mothers should wash their nipples.

It is thought that by determining pregnant women's myths regarding to breast milk and breastfeeding process, by evaluating and by eliminating the ones with negative effects, contribution can be made to protect, maintain and improve mother, baby, family and community health.