Abstract

Background: The attitudes of breastfeeding mothers and healthcare professionals greatly influence decisions about initiation of breastfeeding, duration of breastfeeding, and repeated breastfeeding in multiparous women. Objective and Methods: This research aimed to examine, through a questionnaire, the attitudes of breastfeeding mothers and healthcare professionals about breastfeeding in the area covered by the district nurses of the Zagreb-West Health Center. 76 mothers and 74 healthcare professionals participated in the study, which was conducted during 2021. Results: All healthcare professionals (100%) believe that breastfeeding in the first 6 months is important, and 97% of them believe that they are adequately educated about proper breastfeeding techniques. Furthermore, 98% of them believe that they provide mothers with all the necessary help and support regarding breastfeeding. 93% of healthcare professionals support breastfeeding in public. Most breastfeeding mothers were over 30 years old and had a higher level of education. Only 47% of women in the maternity unit had skin-to-skin contact, while 73% stayed in the room with their baby. In 89% of women, the first breastfeeding occurred within the first hour after birth. The greatest assistance during breastfeeding was provided to mothers by healthcare personnel (94%). Conclusion: Continuous education of healthcare professionals and raising public awareness about the importance of breastfeeding must be a priority for every society.

Key words: breastfeeding mothers, breastfeeding, attitudes, healthcare professionals