Elif Bulut, Hacer Kobya Bulut
Higher infant positive affect and maternal perception of an "easy" temperament were associated with longer exclusive breastfeeding. Assessing infant temperament and maternal perceptions can help tailor breastfeeding support.
BACKGROUND: Infant temperament, a core component of Barnard's Parent-Child Interaction Model, may influence exclusive breastfeeding by shaping mother-infant interactions.
AIM: To examine the association between infant temperament and exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months.
METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in northern Türkiye (June 2019-January 2020) with 347 mothers of infants aged 0-3 months. Data included sociodemographic, obstetric, and breastfeeding-related information, and infant temperament assessed via the Turkish Infant Behaviour Questionnaire-Very Short Form. T-tests and Pearson correlations identified variables for multiple linear regression, which examined breastfeeding duration, while binary logistic regression assessed exclusive breastfeeding status.
RESULTS: Infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months had higher positive affect scores (p < 0.01). Positive affect was weakly but significantly correlated with breastfeeding duration (r = 0.283, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that positive affect and maternal perception of an "easy" temperament explained 9.2% of the variance in breastfeeding duration. Positive affect significantly predicted exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months (B = 0.044, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Higher infant positive affect and maternal perception of an "easy" temperament were associated with longer exclusive breastfeeding. Assessing infant temperament and maternal perceptions can help tailor breastfeeding support.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric nurses should assess infant temperament, adapt breastfeeding counseling, and involve fathers and family members to promote breastfeeding sustainability.