Abstract
Objective
to evaluate the self-efficacy of puerperal women throughout the puerperal period regarding their potential to breastfeed.
Method
longitudinal panel study was performed from May to December 2015 in postpartum rooms of a reference maternity hospital in Fortaleza (Ceará State, Brazil). The study was separated into four moments: the first occurred through a face-to-face meeting at the maternity hospital, and the three subsequent encounters were made by telephone two, four, and six months postpartum. The sample was composed of 66 puerperal women.
Results
there was an increase in the mean scores of the self-efficacy scale for breastfeeding throughout the months, and most puerperal women showed a high self-efficacy level, although the practice of exclusive breastfeeding showed a progressive decline and reached 17.9% at six months.
Conclusions and implications for practice
The puerperal women showed progressively higher self-efficacy scores over time, maintaining high and medium self-efficacy levels in breastfeeding. Therefore, this study can direct new intervention research and subsidize the holistic practice of professionals who support breastfeeding.
Keywords:
Breastfeeding; Self-efficacy; Nursing; Postpartum Period; Health promotion
Thumbnail
Source: the authors.