relationship between perceived social support, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and perception of insufficient milk in breastfeeding mothers of eastern türkiye

Background: breastfeeding is a complex process influenced by various factors, including social support, perceived milk insufficiency, and breastfeeding self-efficacy. this study aimed to explore the relationships between perceived social support, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and the perception of insufficient milk among breastfeeding mothers in eastern türkiye in 2022.methods: this correlational study was conducted at a state hospital in eastern türkiye with 500 breastfeeding mothers of infants aged 0-6 months attending the pediatric outpatient clinic. the participants completed the sociodemographic data form, the multidimensional scale of perceived social support, the breastfeeding self-efficacy scale-short form, and the perceived insufficient milk questionnaire. pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between the scales, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. results: the mean scores were 62.91 ± 16.16 for perceived social support, 52.49 ± 9.03 for breastfeeding self-efficacy, and 38.25 ± 10.04 for perceived insufficient milk. significant positive correlations were found between perceived social support and breastfeeding self-efficacy (r = 0.188, p < 0.001), perceived social support and the perception of insufficient milk (r = 0.251, p < 0.001), and breastfeeding self-efficacy and the perception of insufficient milk (r = 0.251, p < 0.001).conclusion: high levels of social support are associated with increased breastfeeding self-efficacy and improved perceptions of milk supply, thereby supporting both maternal and infant health. healthcare professionals can enhance these outcomes by providing targeted training programs, motivational interviews, and social-cognitive support to breastfeeding mothers.