Nurses’ and Midwives’ Awareness of the Recommended Breastfeeding Practices During the Pandemic of COVID-19 and the Associated Factors in Jordan

Abstract

Introduction The COVID-19-related restrictions imposed to reduce viral transmission have highlighted the need to support the importance of maternal breastfeeding. Clear guidelines for consistent practices across settings have been drawn up on the basis of the best available data. Emerging recommendations call to increase nurses’ and midwives’ awareness of these guidelines. Objective This study aimed to explore nurses’ and midwives’ awareness of the recommended breastfeeding practices and associated factors in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An online descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. This study was conducted in clinical settings representing Jordan's North, Middle, and Southern regions. One hundred seventy nurses and midwives were selected through a convenient sampling technique. Results The mean total score of the awareness was 7.78 (SD = 1.60); 62.9% of participants were highly aware of the recommended breastfeeding practices. Nurses and midwives who were aware of the recommended breastfeeding practices during the pandemic of COVID-19 (90.7%) were more likely to perceive COVID-19 preventive measures as effective than those who were not aware of breastfeeding practices (74.6%) (χ2  = 7.886, p = .005), while work experience in years (χ2  = 8.966, p < .01) was significantly associated with awareness of the breastfeeding recommended practices. Conclusion Most Jordanain nurses and midwives were highly aware of the recommended breastfeeding practices during COVID-19 pandemic. This awareness was positively associated with working experience and perceiving that the preventive measures of COVID-19 are effective. Educational programs for nurses and midwives about breastfeeding practice recommendations are necessary to help mothers obtain appropriate care and education.