Breastfeeding Self-EfficacyNFF-BFNCT07897643
Effects of Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Support on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Early Breastfeeding Outcomes
A study testing Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and Support in people with Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Breastfeeding Outcomes, run by Harran University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Breast milk is the most suitable source of nutrition for a newborn's growth and development and provides significant benefits for both maternal and infant health. However, in the early postpartum period, some mothers and infants may experience difficulties with breastfeeding, which can negatively affect the initiation… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Breastfeeding Outcomes
- What is being tested?
- Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and Support
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 10 Jul 2026to 15 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Mothers aged 18 years or older.
- Mothers in the early postpartum period.
- Mothers who have a term newborn.
- Mothers whose newborns experience difficulty initiating breastfeeding or latching onto the breast.
- Mothers who are able to read, write, and speak Turkish without difficulty.
- Mothers who voluntarily agree to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Mothers whose newborns have congenital anomalies.
- Mothers whose newborns are admitted to or monitored in a neonatal intensive care unit.
- Mothers with a medical condition that contraindicates feeding their infant breast milk.
- Mothers with serious health problems that prevent breastfeeding.
- Mothers who are unwilling to participate in the study follow-up process.
- The inclusion and exclusion criteria are identical for the intervention and control groups.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Manisa Celal Bayar University Hafsa Sultan Hospital
Manisa
About this study
Official title: DOES NURSE-LED FINGER-FEEDING SUPPORT IMPROVE BREASTFEEDING SELF-EFFICACY AND EARLY-PHASE BREASTFEEDING OUTCOMES? A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Breast milk is the most suitable source of nutrition for a newborn's growth and development and provides significant benefits for both maternal and infant health. However, in the early postpartum period, some mothers and infants may experience difficulties with breastfeeding, which can negatively affect the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Difficulties encountered during breastfeeding can undermine a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed and negatively affect breastfeeding success. Therefore, it is important to develop nursing interventions aimed at supporting breastfeeding. Finger-feeding is one of the alternative feeding methods used to support sucking skills and is thought to be beneficial in supporting the breastfeeding process.
This study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effect of nurse-led finger-feeding support on mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy and early-stage breastfeeding outcomes.
- Being tested
- Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and Support
- Keywords
- Finger Feeding, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Nurse-Led Intervention, Breastfeeding Support
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and SupportBehavioural
The intervention consists of individualized nurse-led finger feeding education and support provided during the postpartum hospital stay before discharge. Mothers will receive information on the purpose, technique, precautions, and procedural steps of finger feeding. The researcher will demonstrate the technique and provide practical guidance when needed. All participants will also receive standard breastfeeding counseling.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Support Group | Experimental | Mothers assigned to the intervention group will receive nurse-led finger feeding education and support in addition to standard breastfeeding counseling. The intervention will be delivered individually before hospital discharge and will include information about the purpose, procedure, precautions, and steps of finger feeding, followed by a practical demonstration and guidance as needed. Receives: Behavioral: Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and Support |
| Standard Breastfeeding Counseling Group | No intervention | Mothers assigned to the control group will receive standard breastfeeding counseling routinely provided at the hospital. No additional finger feeding education or support will be provided as part of the study intervention. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Score
Breastfeeding self-efficacy will be assessed using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF), consisting of 14 items scored on a five-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 14 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater breastfeeding self-efficacy. Changes in scores over time will be compared between the intervention and control groups.
Measured: Baseline (before intervention), within 24 hours postpartum (after intervention), and 1 month postpartum
Change in LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Score
Breastfeeding performance will be assessed using the LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool, which evaluates five components: latch, audible swallowing, type of nipple, breast/nipple comfort, and positioning assistance. Each component is scored from 0 to 2, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate better breastfeeding performance. Changes in LATCH scores from baseline to before hospital discharge will be compared between the intervention and control groups.
Measured: Baseline (before intervention) and within 24 hours postpartum (after intervention)
Secondary outcomes (4)
Exclusive Breastfeeding Status at 1 Month Postpartum
Exclusive breastfeeding status will be assessed through a telephone interview at 1 month postpartum. Mothers will report whether their infants are receiving breast milk only, without formula or other foods or liquids, except medications, vitamins, or oral rehydration solutions. The proportion of infants exclusively breastfed will be compared between groups.
Measured: 1 month postpartum
Formula Feeding Status at 1 Month Postpartum
Formula feeding status will be assessed through a telephone interview at 1 month postpartum. Mothers will report whether their infants are receiving infant formula, either alone or in combination with breast milk. The proportion of infants receiving formula will be compared between groups.
Measured: 1 month postpartum
Breastfeeding Continuation at 1 Month Postpartum
Breastfeeding continuation will be assessed through a telephone interview at 1 month postpartum. Mothers will report whether they are continuing to breastfeed their infants, either exclusively or in combination with formula feeding. The proportion of mothers continuing any breastfeeding will be compared between groups.
Measured: 1 month postpartum
Occurrence of Breastfeeding Problems at 1 Month Postpartum
Breastfeeding problems will be assessed through a telephone interview at 1 month postpartum. Mothers will report whether they have experienced any breastfeeding-related difficulties. The proportion of mothers reporting at least one breastfeeding problem will be compared between the intervention and control groups.
Measured: 1 month postpartum
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Oct 2026
- Study start10 Jul 2026
- Primary completion10 Aug 2026
- Study completion15 Oct 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Breastfeeding Self-EfficacyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This study is designed as a two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of nurse-led finger feeding support on breastfeeding self-efficacy and early breastfeeding outcomes.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Harran University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, HASRET YAĞMUR SEVİNÇ AKIN, Harran University
- Investigators
- H YAĞMUR SEVİNÇ, Assistant Professor, Principal investigator, Harran University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07897643
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CBU/20.478.486/4295
- Acronym
- NFF-BF
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 17 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 27 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared because no data-sharing plan has been established for this study. Study findings will be reported in aggregate form without identifying individual participants.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- DOES NURSE-LED FINGER-FEEDING SUPPORT IMPROVE BREASTFEEDING SELF-EFFICACY AND EARLY-PHASE BREASTFEEDING OUTCOMES? A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07897643
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NFF-BF / CBU/20.478.486/4295
- Keywords
- Finger Feeding, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Nurse-Led Intervention, Breastfeeding Support
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Harran UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Oct 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 27 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Breast milk is the most suitable source of nutrition for a newborn's growth and development and provides significant benefits for both maternal and infant health. However, in the early postpartum period, some mothers and infants may experience difficulties with breastfeeding, which can negatively affect the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Difficulties encountered during breastfeeding can undermine a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed and negatively affect breastfeeding success. Therefore, it is important to develop nursing interventions aimed at supporting breastfeeding. Finger-feeding is one of the alternative feeding methods used to support sucking skills and is thought to be beneficial in supporting the breastfeeding process.
This study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effect of nurse-led finger-feeding support on mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy and early-stage breastfeeding outcomes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This study is designed as a two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of nurse-led finger feeding support on breastfeeding self-efficacy and early breastfeeding outcomes.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Support Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and SupportMothers assigned to the intervention group will receive nurse-led finger feeding education and support in addition to standard breastfeeding counseling. The intervention will be delivered individually before hospital discharge and will include information about the purpose, procedure, precautions, and steps of finger feeding, followed by a practical demonstration and guidance as needed. |
| Standard Breastfeeding Counseling Group | No intervention | –Mothers assigned to the control group will receive standard breastfeeding counseling routinely provided at the hospital. No additional finger feeding education or support will be provided as part of the study intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Mothers aged 18 years or older.
- Mothers in the early postpartum period.
- Mothers who have a term newborn.
- Mothers whose newborns experience difficulty initiating breastfeeding or latching onto the breast.
- Mothers who are able to read, write, and speak Turkish without difficulty.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Mothers whose newborns have congenital anomalies.
- Mothers whose newborns are admitted to or monitored in a neonatal intensive care unit.
- Mothers with a medical condition that contraindicates feeding their infant breast milk.
- Mothers with serious health problems that prevent breastfeeding.
- Mothers who are unwilling to participate in the study follow-up process.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and SupportThe intervention consists of individualized nurse-led finger feeding education and support provided during the postpartum hospital stay before discharge. Mothers will receive information on the purpose, technique, precautions, and procedural steps of finger feeding. The researcher will demonstrate the technique and provide practical guidance when needed. All participants will also receive standard breastfeeding counseling. | Behavioural | Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Support Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Score
Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), within 24 hours postpartum (after intervention), and 1 month postpartum
Breastfeeding self-efficacy will be assessed using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF), consisting of 14 items scored on a five-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 14 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater breastfeeding self-efficacy. Changes in scores over time will be compared between the intervention and control groups.
Change in LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Score
Time frame: Baseline (before intervention) and within 24 hours postpartum (after intervention)
Breastfeeding performance will be assessed using the LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool, which evaluates five components: latch, audible swallowing, type of nipple, breast/nipple comfort, and positioning assistance. Each component is scored from 0 to 2, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate better breastfeeding performance. Changes in LATCH scores from baseline to before hospital discharge will be compared between the intervention and control groups.
4 secondary outcomes
Exclusive Breastfeeding Status at 1 Month Postpartum
Time frame: 1 month postpartum
Formula Feeding Status at 1 Month Postpartum
Time frame: 1 month postpartum
Breastfeeding Continuation at 1 Month Postpartum
Time frame: 1 month postpartum
Occurrence of Breastfeeding Problems at 1 Month Postpartum
Time frame: 1 month postpartum
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared because no data-sharing plan has been established for this study. Study findings will be reported in aggregate form without identifying individual participants.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
H YAĞMUR SEVİNÇ, Assistant Professor principal investigator
Harran University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Nurse-Led Finger Feeding Education and Support in people with Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Breastfeeding Outcomes, run by Harran University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Score (time frame: Baseline (before intervention), within 24 hours postpartum (after intervention), and 1 month postpartum). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Oct 2026.