Gunes, MeltemAykut, MuallaOner, NeslihanBorlu, Arda2025-02-242025-02-2420192147-063410.5455/medscience.2018.07.8989https://doi.org/10.5455/medscience.2018.07.8989https://search.trdizin.gov.tr/tr/yayin/detay/363968https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14440/343This study aimed to evaluate breastfeeding behaviors among healthcare professional mothers employed in a hospital which support Baby Friendly Hospital (BFH) Initiative program. Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was performed in Erciyes University Hospital between August 2011 and June 2012. 175 healthcare professional mothers who had 1-5 years old children recruited for the study. Data was collected via a questionnaire which contains 51 questions. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding (EB) was 33.1% among healthcare professional mothers employed in a BFH. The mean of total breastfeeding duration was 13.02±7.53 months. The rates of cesarean delivery and initiation breastfeeding in an hour were 77.7% and 61.7% respectively of the study group. Vaginal delivered mothers’ breastfeeding rates in first one hour (79.5%) were significantly higher than caesarean delivered mothers’ (56.6%) (p<0.05). Professions and expressing breastmilk were found to be effective variables for EB (p<0.05). Unpaid maternity leave was found significant for long-term breastfeeding. Expressing breastmilk and performing legal arrangements for prolonging maternity leave seems like important factors for encouraging breastfeeding.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessBeslenme ve DiyetetikKadın Hastalıkları ve DoğumHemşirelikArticle51935163639688