A study co-authored by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hülya Türkmen from the Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, revealed that when working breastfeeding mothers do not receive sufficient workplace breastfeeding support, breastfeeding continuity decreases, leading to an increase in feelings of employment guilt among mothers.
The study titled “Evaluating the Relationship Between Workplace Breastfeeding Support and Employment Guilt in Working Mothers” was conducted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hülya Türkmen (Balıkesir University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery), Prof. Dr. Nazan Tuna Oran (Ege University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery), Specialist Midwife Dr. Serpil Gürol (İzmir Torbalı Family Health Center), Specialist Midwife Dr. Çiğdem Gök (Uşak Dikilitaş Family Health Center), and Specialist Midwife Dr. Kübra Aydın İnce (İstanbul Bakırköy Family Health Center). The study was published in the Journal of Human Lactation, a Q1-ranked international journal.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hülya Türkmen: Raising Awareness of Mothers’ Legal Rights and Breastfeeding Conditions is Crucial
Sharing insights on the research, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hülya Türkmen from Balıkesir University emphasized that as workplace breastfeeding support decreases, mothers’ employment guilt significantly increases. She highlighted that the study found significant relationships between employment guilt and factors such as low income, heavy workload, lack of breastfeeding leave, and the absence of suitable workplace facilities for breast milk expression and breastfeeding.
Dr. Türkmen stressed the importance of institutions arranging workplace conditions within policies that support breastfeeding, providing flexible working hours, organizing breastfeeding-related seminars, and offering childcare services in order to sustain breastfeeding. She also underlined that healthcare professionals should inform mothers who plan to return to work after childbirth about workplace conditions for breastfeeding and their legal rights.
We congratulate our academic staff member and wish her continued success.
