The Investigation of Maternal Attachment, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, And Perceived Insufficient Milk Supply of Mothers of Babies Placed in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the maternal attachment, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and perceived insufficient milk supply of mothers of babies placed in a NICU in the face of restrictions in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.Desing and methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted at the NICU of a public hospital in eastern Turkey. The sample consisted of 292 mothers of term babies treated in the NICU. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI), the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES-SF), and the Perception of Insufficient Milk (PIM) questionnaire.Results: Participants had a mean MAI, BSES-SF, and PIM score of 61.80±14.60, 43.88±11.52, and 24.53±13.61, respectively. A multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the effect of breastfeeding self-efficacy and perceived insufficient milk on maternal attachment. The results showed that the regression model accounted for 22% of the MAI score. While the BSES-SF score was a significant explanatory variable that increased the MAI score, the PIM score was a significant explanatory variable that decreased it (p<0.05). Participants who had tested positive for COVID-19 had a lower mean MAI score than those who had never tested positive for COVID-19. Participants separated from their babies and believed they could'nt breastfeed them sufficiently during the pandemic had a lower mean PIM score, suggesting that they perceived their milk supply as insufficient (p<0.05).Conclusion: Pandemic restrictions have an adverse impact on maternal attachment. Breastfeeding self-efficacy and perceived insufficient milk are effective variables that explain maternal attachment.