Abstract
Background
Maternal satisfaction related to their breastfeeding process should also be included as an appropriate outcome indicator. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of different proposed versions of the Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale in a Spanish sample.
Methods
This was a longitudinal, observational study, evaluated at three different timepoints: at hospital after delivery, 5 and 12 months after delivery in a Spanish sample
Results
A total of 690 mother participated in this study. Comparing three different models of the scale, the results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis reflected a better fit of the data to the original model. The variable satisfaction with breastfeeding is negatively related to the difficulty percieved in continuing breastfeeding due to return to work and positively related to the rate of breastfeeding at five months postpartum. Finally, the scale can predict breastfeeding behavior at twelve months after birth.
Conclusions
The results of this study indicated that the structure of the original version of the MBFES is valid and reliable for evaluating mothers' perception of their breastfeeding experience in Spain. The research contributes to a better understanding of the maternal satisfaction with the breastfeeding experience and its potential implications for supporting breastfeeding practices, potentially impacting academic, healthcare, and policy spheres.