The relationship of postpartum sleep quality and breastfeeding self-efficacy of Turkish mothers

Predicting mothers' exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months: Interface creation study using machine learning technique

BACKGROUND

Machine learning techniques (MLT) build models to detect complex patterns and solve new problems using big data.

AIM

The present study aims to create a prediction interface for mothers breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months using MLT.

METHOD

All mothers who had babies aged 6-24 months between 15.09.2021 and 15.12.2021 and to whom the surveys could be delivered were included. 'Personal Information Form' created by the researchers was used as a data collection tool. Data from 514 mothers participating in the study were used for MLT. Data from 70% of mothers were used for educational purposes, and a prediction model was created. The data obtained from the remaining 30% of the mothers were used for testing.

RESULTS

The best MLT algorithm for predicting exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months was determined to be the Random Forest Classifier. The top five variables affecting the possibility of mothers breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months were as follows: "the mother not having any health problems during pregnancy," "there were no people who negatively affected the mother's morale about breastfeeding," "the amount of water the mother drinks in a day," "thinking that her milk supply is insufficient," "having no problems breastfeeding the baby".

CONCLUSIONS

Using created prediction model may allow early identification of mothers with a risk of not breastfeeding their babies exclusively for the first 6 months. In this way, mothers in the risk group can be closely monitored in the early period.

Breastfeeding self-efficacy in terms of sleep quality, perceived social support, depression and certain variables: a cross-sectional study of postpartum women in Turkey

BACKGROUND

Breastfeeding self-efficacy is one of the key factors that affect a healthy and successful breastfeeding process. A mother's belief regarding her ability to breastfeed is influenced by social and psychological factors. This study aimed to investigate the breastfeeding self-efficacy levels of postpartum women, the factors affecting this, and its relationship with sleep quality, social support and depression.

METHODS

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the pediatric department of a tertiary hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected from 200 postpartum women using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

RESULTS

The mean scores of the BSES-SF, PSQI, MSPSS and EPDS were 59.05 ± 8.28, 9.18 ± 3.67, 57.82 ± 18.81, and 8.98 ± 5.89, respectively. A statistically significant negative correlation was found among the BSES-SF, EPDS (r = -0.445, p = 0.001) and PSQI (r = -0.612, p = 0.004), while a positive correlation was found among the BSES-SF, total MSPSS (r = 0.341, p = 0.036), and family support (r = 0.373, p = 0.014) (p < 0.05). In addition, a statistically significant difference was found between the number of births and breastfeeding self-efficacy (F = 3.68; p = 0.001). The linear regression analysis revealed that sleep quality (β = -0.491, p = 0.001), perceived social support (β = 0.146, p = 0.015), family support (β = 0.153, p = 0.013), and depression (β = -0.228, p = 0.001) emerged as the predictors of breastfeeding self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the increase in sleep quality and perceived social support positively affected the breastfeeding self-efficacy of postpartum women, while giving birth for the first time and an increase in the risk of depression were negatively affected.

Maternal Sleeping Problems Before and After Childbirth - A Systematic Review

The perinatal and postpartum period is of great significance for women due to physiological changes, shifts in circadian rhythms, social setting, and psychological well-being, all of which affect the quality and quantity of their sleep. A mixed-studies systematic review was undertaken to enhance our understanding of sleep disturbances and mood disorders in women in late pregnancy and the postpartum period, their connection with breastfeeding, and the assessment of interventions for sleep disturbance. Three electronic databases (PUBMED, EMBASE and Google Scholar) were searched for qualitative, observational, and mixed-method studies from the year 2016 to June 2023. Twenty-nine articles were included in the analysis. The results were synthesized into four overarching themes: (і) the sleep quality of women in the perinatal period; (ii) the relationship between sleep and breastfeeding; (iii) the relationship between sleep quality and emotional disturbance in the perinatal period; (iv) sleep interventions in the researched group. The subjective nature of the perception of sleep disturbances, along with the absence of an objective measurement tool is clearly an inconvenience. It is advisable to include the assessment of maternal sleep hygiene and family sleep patterns during postpartum healthcare provider appointments to develop strategies not only for women's sleep quality but also for their mental well-being.

The effect of lavender on mothers sleep quality in the postpartum period: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Poor sleep quality in the postpartum period can have various negative effects on the health of mothers and infants such as anxiety, depression, low breastfeeding self-efficacy and disrupted child-mother attachment. Accordingly, intervention seems necessary to improve sleep quality. Given the probable effect of lavender on sleep problems, the present research intended to determine its effects on mothers' sleep quality during postpartum period. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus databases and the Persian language databases (Magiran and SID) were searched for all the articles they included at the end of February 2021. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane tool. The results of the meta-analysis were reported as the standardized mean difference (SMD). Heterogeneity of the studies was investigated using the I-squared test (I2). Three out of the 292 obtained studies entered the meta-analysis. The results indicated that sleep quality in the group receiving lavender improved compared to the control group, (SMD = -0.61; 95% CI: -1.07 to -015 p = 0.01) whereas the heterogeneity was higher. (I2 = 75%; Tau2 = 012; Chi2 = 7.905, p = 0.02). According to the results of this systematic review, use of lavender can improve postpartum maternal sleep quality. However, further randomized controlled trials using identical methodology, larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed.

Relationships among Postpartum Weight Retention, Stress, and Disinhibited Eating: A Scoping Review

Postpartum weight retention (PPWR) is a significant contributor to maternal cardiometabolic disease risk. The transition to motherhood is a stressful time period in which women report consuming food to cope, an eating behavior that is associated with PPWR. In this scoping review, we identified original research and review articles published since 2010 that examined relationships among PPWR, maternal stress, and disinhibited eating. In total, 16 articles met the inclusion criteria. Findings were inconsistent related to PPWR and stress. PPWR and disinhibited eating were not significantly correlated; however, disinhibition scores were higher during the postpartum period compared to prenatally. Stress and disinhibited eating were directly correlated in 4 studies. Our findings suggest these concepts, particularly disinhibited eating, have not been robustly examined during the postpartum period. Additionally, instruments used to measure maternal stress vary widely and should be further studied and refined.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale

Objective

Sleep disorders are common during prenatal and postpartum periods which can be associated with physical and psychological maternal and neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale.

Methods

In this study, 280 women who had given birth two to four months prior to the study were selected using cluster sampling in the year 2020. Construct validity of Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency and test-retest were used to determine the reliability of the scale.

Results

The content validity index of the scale was 0.88 and the content validity ratio was 0.94. In the exploratory factor analysis, the single-factor structure was extracted. The fit indices confirmed the model validity. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.78 and the intra-class correlation coefficient (95% confidence interval) was 0.97 (0.94 to 0.98). The criterion validity also showed the positive correlation of the scale with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Conclusion

The present study indicates that the Persian version of Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating the postpartum sleep quality in Iranian women.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41105-022-00405-5.