The Relationship Between Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Successful Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Lactating Mothers in Panekan Community Health Center Working Area

Abstract

There is a risk of failure or discontinuation of exclusive breastfeeding before infants reach six months of age, caused by low levels of breastfeeding self-efficacy (BSE), or mothers' self-confidence in breastfeeding. This problem is concretely reflected in the drastic decline in exclusive breastfeeding coverage at Panekan Community Health Center. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between BSE levels and successful exclusive breastfeeding in the Panekan Community Health Center working area. This research used a quantitative analytical method with a cross-sectional design. The population comprised 241 breastfeeding mothers with infants aged 6–11 months. A sample of 152 breastfeeding mothers was selected using proportional simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Likert-scale BSES-SF questionnaire and a structured exclusive breastfeeding history questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using the Spearman rank correlation test (α = 0.05). The results showed that 61.8% of mothers had BSE in the high category. A total of 75.0% successfully provided full exclusive breastfeeding for six months, while 25.0% provided partial breastfeeding. The Spearman rank test produced a correlation coefficient of rs = 0.757 with a p-value = 0.001 (p < 0.05), indicating a strong and significant positive relationship between BSE and successful exclusive breastfeeding. It is recommended that Panekan Community Health Center integrate BSE screening at every ANC visit, accompanied by psychologically based lactation counseling for mothers with low BSE scores, reinforced by active support from husbands and families.