Knowledge of the Nurses on Breast Milk and Breastfeeding: An Example from Buca Seyfi Demirsoy State Hospital

Abstract

Aim: Midwives and nurses are accepted to have a supportive, preventive and encouraging effect on the breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of female nurses related to breast milk and breastfeeding. Subjects and methods: The universe of the study was the nurses working in Seyfi Demirsoy State Hospital in Buca District Centre in Izmir. As a total, 133 volunteer female nurses who agreed to participate in the study constituted the sample of the study. The data was collected by the researcher using a questionnaire in June 2011. In the evaluation of the data SPSS 13.0 statistical package program was used. Results: The mean age of the nurses participated in the study was 30.29±6.89 years. Out of total, 93.9% of the nurses said that colostrum should be given to babies. It was determined that more than half of the nurses (53.4%) did not know the consistency of colostrum, while it was seen that majority of nurses (82.7%) knew that colostrum is in yellowish color. The majority of the nurses (93.2%) have knowledge that breast milk should be given as the first food to babies after the birth. Out of total, 74.4% of the nurses said that adapted formula isn’t the same as breast milk. It was seen that 51.9% of the nurses knew the correct frequency of breastfeeding for newly-born on a day during only breastfeeding. It was determined that 27.9% the nurses didn’t know the wrong only breast milk period without any complementary foods. The majority of the nurses (84.2%) knew that breast-fed babies should be given vitamin D as a supplement. Lactation period, mothers who become pregnant should continue to breastfeed (33.1%) is less known by nurses. More than half of the nurses (53.4%) stated that some foods could increase amount of breast milk. Conclusion: According to research results, it can be suggested that nurses should be incited to participate in course/ seminar about breast feding and they should be informed on the new informations about breast feeding.