A REVIEW ON THE EFFECTS OF BREASTFEEDING ON MOTHER–INFANT BONDING

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 11 Sayı: 2, 87 - 110, 31.07.2025

Filiz Nur Kafcı , Gizem Yılmaz

Öz

Motherhood is a sacred concept that starts with being pregnant with a child and is defined as the role that provides the physical and psychological needs of the baby to be met satisfactorily after the birth. With motherhood, the female role achieves new self-development. Attachment has a great role in the birth of the baby and the adoption of the maternal role. Attachment, in the most general sense, refers to the strong bond that an individual feels towards another individual whom he or she considers important, and it starts right after birth. Attachment theory, on the other hand, reveals how the emotional bond that children develop towards their mothers is formed and how interpersonal relationships are affected by attachment. It is important for the baby and the mother that the bond between the mother and the baby is secure. In addition, the attachment of mother and baby has been the subject of many studies. Chief among these are Bowlby, Ainsworth. In Bowlby's view, parents' repetitive behaviors shape children's mental blueprints. Ainsworth, on the other hand, divided attachment into three groups in line with his studies and these are secure attachment, anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. Babies who are securely attached experience tension when the mother leaves the environment, but rejoice when the mother comes. Anxiously attached infants seek attention from the mother, but do not use the mother as a safe base because of their desire to explore the environment. Finally, avoidant attachment children want to explore the environment when they are in the same environment with the mother, and they do not interact with the mother. The realization of these attachments that we have mentioned takes place in 4 stages and the stage in which the actual attachment takes place is the third stage. In order to facilitate the bonding process, the mother should interact with her baby as soon as possible, share the same room, health personnel and the mother's environment should minimize the mother's anxiety and perform breastfeeding as soon as possible. Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby, meditation practice, and mother's social support are some of them. In addition, in some cases, attachment is negatively affected; cesarean section, separation from the baby, infancy depression, unwanted pregnancy, mother's being away from the baby, and insufficient and late breastfeeding. Studies have shown that there is a connection between the baby's closest contact to the mother's breast and breastfeeding and the positive realization of attachment. Although breastfeeding is considered very important for the baby and the mother, breastfeeding is the transfer of antibodies and nutritional values that contribute to the growth and development of the baby through breast milk. When we look at the status of only breast milk for the first 6 months in Turkey statistically, this rate was found to be 41.6%. All over the world, this rate has been recorded as 38%. Breastfeeding is not only beneficial in terms of attachment, but is also important in terms of physical, emotional and spiritual aspects for women, mothers and babies. It has been reported that lactating women are more dependent on their babies, and respiratory, digestive and circulatory system diseases are less common than non-breastfeeding or less frequently lactating women. The mother's use of the right breastfeeding technique is considered important for the baby and the mother. With the right breastfeeding technique, attachment behavior will be reinforced and the bond between them will be strengthened.
Breastfeeding is considered important in terms of mother and baby bonding, because starting breastfeeding without losing time will prepare an environment for a warm, safe and intimate relationship between the baby and the mother. Skin-to-skin contact should occur immediately after the birth and the baby should be exposed to the bare chest for at least 1 hour. In order for the mother and baby to continue the bonding process, the baby and the mother should share the same room for the first 24 hours and breastfeed the baby as he cries.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Attachment , Breastfeeding , Maternalattachment , Prenatal , Attachment theory , Interaction , Transmission of affection / Communication of love , Secure attachment

Kaynakça

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