This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of video and simulator education based on the IMB model for improving the breastfeeding behavior of nonbreastfeeding mothers whose babies were in a neonatal intensive care unit and who resided in a mother's hotel. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first work based on such an educational process to ensure mother and baby attachment by enhancing breastfeeding behavior.
According to our sociodemographic information of the mother participants, the variables of the groups did not significantly differ. These findings suggested that the distribution of the groups was homogeneous. The similarity of the groups at baseline is important for evaluating the effectiveness of training on breastfeeding success, the perception of breastfeeding self-efficacy, and maternal attachment. When the pretest scores were analyzed in terms of groups, there was no statistically significant difference according to group (Table 1, Table 3; p > 0.05). In similar studies in the literature, the distributions among mothers, infants, and groups and the pretest were homogenous (5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14).
One of the most important factors affecting breastfeeding success is mothers’ sense of self-efficacy. The mother's high level of confidence in her self-efficacy affects her efforts in breastfeeding, as believing that her milk is sufficient and having positive thoughts and feelings about breastfeeding increases breastfeeding success (3). Breastfeeding education is very important in developing breastfeeding skills and increasing breastfeeding success (15, 16). In this context, evidence-based guidelines specifically recommend practical training to support breastfeeding (5, 17). In our study, breastfeeding self-efficacy posttest scores after training significantly differed according to group (F = 6,77; p < 0.05). The results revealed that the breastfeeding training provided with simulator support increased the breastfeeding self-efficacy of the women in the simulator group at a high rate. The breastfeeding self-efficacy test scores of the training groups 4 weeks after the posttest were significantly different according to group (F = 2,731; p < 0.05). When the results were analyzed, the mean of those in the simulator group was found to be significantly greater. The findings of our study are similar to the findings of the literature (5, 18, 19). In this context, learning in a realistic environment with simulation is a more effective training method for developing breastfeeding skills and success.
When all the studies were examined, it was observed that breastfeeding was important, as recommended by the WHO, and that formula feeding was rarely preferred. In some studies, formula in addition to breastmilk was given because the babies were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit immediately after birth, and the first breastfeeding started late. The findings of our study are similar to the findings in the literature (12, 20, 21). In our study, the rate of receiving breast milk and formula was 52.0%. The reason for this is that the babies were in intensive care, and breastfeeding was started late.
One of the most important conditions for successful breastfeeding is establishing skin-to-skin contact between mothers and babies after birth to start breastfeeding within the first hour and to ensure frequent breastfeeding optionally (22). The WHO recommends ensuring skin-to-skin contact between the baby and the mother within 1 hour after birth, encouraging the mother to breastfeed her baby, and supporting the mother in breastfeeding her baby (23). In our study, maternal attachment posttest scores after training significantly differed according to group (F = 13,279; p < 0.05). When the results were analyzed, the maternal attachment levels of women in the simulator group were found to be greater. The training provided with simulator support increased the maternal attachment levels of women in the simulator group at a high rate. The posttest was administered to the control group 4 weeks after the pretest while their babies were with them. This is thought to be the reason why attachment to the mother was slightly greater in the control group than in the video group at the posttest (Table 4).
There was no statistically significant difference between the maternal attachment test scores applied to the training groups 4 weeks after the posttest (F = 1,661; p > 0.05). However, when the retest rates were examined, the mean maternal attachment scores of the women in the simulator group were higher than the mean scores of the women in the video group. The findings of our research are similar to the findings of the literature (24, 25). Simulation training enables the learning of situations that can be encountered in real life through practice and improves the knowledge, skills, competencies, and behaviors of the learner (5).
Within the scope of the study, it is thought that women in the simulation training group practice breastfeeding in a realistic environment in the postpartum period, seeing situations in which they are deficient or inadequate in breastfeeding and learning what they need to do to overcome them increase women's self-confidence in breastfeeding, reduce their feelings of inadequacy and anxiety about breastfeeding and increase their maternal attachment levels. In this context, women feel competent in breastfeeding, their self-efficacy perceptions increase, and the bond between mothers and babies is strengthened.