Mothers' Breast Milk Expression Experiences, Infant Feeding Attitudes and Perceived Social Support Levels

Background: Expressing breast milk in cases where breastfeeding is interrupted is important for infants to be fed breast milk however, many factors can affect mothers' breastfeeding experience, such as feeding attitudes and the level of social support. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship mothers' breast milk expression experience between infant feeding attitudes and perceived social support level. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the postpartum and lactation unit of a city hospital in Istanbul, between September-November 2022. The study included 455 women who were volunteering to participate in the research, 18 years of age or older, in the 0-6 months postpartum period, having a living baby, continuing to breastfeed, and expressing breast milk at least once after birth. Data were collected with Mother-Baby Introductory Information Form, Breast Milk Expression Experience Measure (BMEE), Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The data were analyzed using the SPSS-21 statistical software package. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Which characteristics affect mothers' breast milk expression experiences, infant feeding attitudes, and perceived social support levels in the early postpartum period? * Is there a relationship between mothers' experiences of breast milk expression and their infant feeding attitudes and social support levels in the early postpartum period?