"Effects of the whatsapp midwife breastfeeding support line on early postpartum breastfeeding process of mothers"

Abstract

This study was conducted to provide individual counseling to the mothers during the puerperium on breast milk and breastfeeding over the WhatsApp Midwife Breastfeeding Support Line, and to determine the effect of peer support on mothers’ breastfeeding process. The study is a randomized controlled experimental study. The study sample consisted of 100 mothers who gave birth at a university hospital. In the experimental group, a WhatsApp group was created over the WhatsApp Midwife Breastfeeding Support Line and they were given 24/7 counseling and support on breast milk and breastfeeding process for two months. After the study it was determined that the mean scores of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale of the postpartum mothers increased on the contrary in the experimental group and decreased in the control group (p = 0.001). It was determined that most of the mothers in the experimental group had breast problems in the first week. The most common problem was breast cracking and fullness, and the frequency of breast problems decreased gradually after the second week. While there was no difference between the height and head circumference values of the babies in the experimental and control groups at birth (p > 0.05), it was determined that the first and second month height measurement values and the second month head circumference measurement values were higher in the infants in the experimental group (p < 0.05).It has been concluded that the WhatsApp Midwife Breastfeeding Support Line positively affects the breastfeeding process of mothers in the early postpartum period and the anthropometric measurements of babies.