Clinical Research Directory

The Effect of a Breastfeeding and Infant Care Education Program Prepared According to Mercer Theory on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Readiness for Infant Care, and Acceptance of the Maternal Role

This study aims to examine the effects of a breastfeeding and infant care education program, developed based on Mercer's Maternal Role Development Theory, on pregnant women's breastfeeding self-efficacy, readiness for infant care, and acceptance of the maternal role. The randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 142 pregnant women between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation who have not received any prior structured education. Data will be collected using the "Personal Information Form," the "Prenatal Breastfeeding-Self-Efficacy Scale," the "Pregnant Women's Readiness for Newborn Hygienic Care Scale," and the "Prenatal Self-Assessment Scale-Maternal Role Acceptance Subscale." Pregnant women in the experimental group will receive a two-session face-to-face education program (breastfeeding and infant care) based on Mercer's theory. One week after the training, participants will be asked to complete the same scales again. Project management included determining the sample size using G\*Power, conducting randomization, and analyzing the data using SPSS. The research will be conducted with ethics committee approval, and participant rights will be strictly adhered to. The broad impact of this study is that structured prenatal education can improve mothers' breastfeeding success and readiness for infant care, facilitating the transition to the motherhood role. The project, which aims to fill gaps in the literature, will contribute to both midwifery practice and evidence-based contributions to maternal and infant health.