The Relationship Between Maternal Attachment and Sexual Self-Confidence in Breastfeeding Women

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal attachment and sexuality are sensitive issues affected by many factors, especially in breastfeeding women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between maternal attachment and sexual self-confidence in breastfeeding women. Methods: The research was conducted as a descriptive relationship-seeking study. The data of the study was collected from 315 women between March 2022 and August 2022. The study data were collected through social media by transforming the personal information form, the sexual self-confidence scale, and the maternal attachment scale into an online questionnaire. Results: Maternal attachment was found to be quite high with a score of 94.89 ± 3.02, and the total mean score of the sexual self-confidence scale was found to be 30.61 ± 6.37. It was seen that primiparous women had the highest mean of 96.87 ± 2.46 according to maternal attachment mean. It was observed that the highest value in the sexual self-confidence scale was found in women who graduated from primary school with an average of 32.06 ± 8.49. It was determined that there was a weak negative relationship between maternal attachment and sexual self-confidence. Conclusions: It was observed that the demographic characteristics of breastfeeding women did not make a difference in maternal attachment or sexual self-confidence, and there was no significant relationship between maternal attachment and women’s sexual self-confidence. Policy Implications: A better understanding of maternal attachment and sexual expectations in breastfeeding women has social and research implications. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, should evaluate maternal attachment and sexual expectations in breastfeeding women and include them in their practices. © The Author(s) 2025.