The relationship between breastfeeding success and maternal personality traits

Abstract

Context: Studies demonstrate that it is essential to identify mothers at risk of weaning their babies too early and support their process of breastfeeding in the postpartum period. The impact of maternal personality traits on breastfeeding is not sufficiently well understood. Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding success and maternal personality traits. Setting and Design: The research was a descriptive, correlational study and was conducted in the maternity ward of a university hospital located in the East of Turkey between September 2018 and March 2019. Materials and Methods: The convenience sampling method was used in the study and the sample consisted of 208 primiparous women within the first 48 h postpartum. Four forms were used in the collection of data. These were as follows: a demographic information form, a breastfeeding questionnaire, the ten-item personality inventory, and the LATCH breastfeeding assessment tool. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and frequency). The mean scores for the LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool were compared according to mothers' personality traits using Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis. In post hoc analysis, multiple comparison was performed using the Tamhane t 2 -test. Results: The mean score on the LATCH breastfeeding assessment tool was found to be 5.45 ± 1.44. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean LATCH Breastfeeding assessment success score according to the women's personality traits (KW: 21.929, P < 0.000). The highest and lowest LACTH scores were seen in people with the extraversion (6.2 ± 1.2) and agreeableness (5.0 ± 1.2) personality traits. Conclusions: It was determined that the women's personality traits affected their breastfeeding success and that extraverted individuals had higher breastfeeding success scores.