The Factors Affecting the Most Healthy Way of Giving Breast Milk (Breastfeeding) and The Role of Nurse

Abstract

Breast milk is the most suitable food for healthy growth and development of babies. The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund, for the first six months of birth from the birth to baby nutrition, without taking any additional food, including water only breast milk is considered to be the most appropriate way. Although a good level of breastfeeding rates in the world and Turkey, in the first six months only breastfeeding rates are low. There are neonatal, maternal, and environmental-social factors affecting the initiation of breastfeeding and especially the first six months. Training and counseling roles of nurses are of great importance in the initiation and effective implementation of breastfeeding. Therefore nurses who are in close contact with the mother and the baby in the prenatal and postnatal period should be aware of the importance of breastfeeding and the factors affecting the breastfeeding process. In this review, the importance of breastfeeding will be emphasized and then the studies on these factors that affect the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding will be examined. In addition, the roles of nurses who play a key role in increasing breastfeeding during the first six months and supporting the mother's breastfeeding behavior will be examined in line with literature. Keywords: Breastfeeding; breast milk; newborn; nurse's role.