Evaluation of the effect of the father's support on the mother's breastfeeding motivation

Abstract Background One of the factors affecting mothers' breastfeeding success is the father's support and the other is the mother's breastfeeding motivation. This study was conducted to determine the effect of partner breastfeeding support perceived by mothers and reported by fathers on mothers' breastfeeding motivation. Methods The research was conducted using the face‐to‐face interview method with couples presenting to Family Health Centers in a city in Türkiye. The sample consisted of 114 breastfeeding women in 6 weeks to 6 months postpartum and their partners. Data were collected with a ‘Personal Information Form’, the ‘Breastfeeding Support Scale (BSS)’, the ‘Breastfeeding Motivation Scale (BMS)’, and the ‘Partner Breastfeeding Influence Scale (PBIS)’. Results Participants' mean score was 119.19 ± 23.97 on the PBIS and 11.51 ± 2.94 on the BSS. A moderate‐level, significant positive relationship was found between the BSS and PBIS scores of primiparous and multiparous mothers ( r = 0.647; r = 0.567). A one‐unit increase in fathers' breastfeeding support scores increased integrative regulation motivation scores by 0.548 units in primiparas and 0.458 units in multiparous mothers and by 0.309 units in intrinsic motivation scores and 0.351 units in external regulation‐baby health motivation scores in multiparous mothers. Conclusion It was found that father support affected the autonomous motivation of both primiparous and multiparous mothers at a moderate level. Perceived partner breastfeeding support affected only the autonomous motivation of multiparous mothers at a moderate level, and the types of controlled motivation, namely infant health and social approval, at a weak level.