BACKGROUND/AIMS
This study aimed to assess the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of mothers whose babies were in the newborn intensive care units about breast milk banking.
MATERIALS and METHODS
The participants of this descriptive research were 102 mothers who provided their oral and written consent for study participation and whose newborns were in the intensive care units during June to August 2016 (n=102). A p value <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.
RESULTS
We found a statistically significant relationship of the “Request to Benefit from Breast Milk Banking” with the educational background, working status, and the place where the mothers had spent most of their lives. In addition, there was a statistically significant relationship of the “Request to Donate Breast Milk to the Breast Milk Banks” with the place where the mothers had spent most of their lives, breastfeeding experience, and the institution from which they had received care before the delivery (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Although a considerable proportion of the mothers have positive thoughts about breast milk banking, they were hesitant about feeding their babies donor milk when needed.
Keywords: Breastfeeding, human milk banking, milk banking, Turkey