The effect of virtual reality on the breastfeeding process: a randomized controlled study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of breastfeeding training given with virtual reality (VR) to postpartum mothers after cesarean section delivery on breastfeeding success and breastfeeding self-efficacy.

Study Design: The research was designed as a prospective randomized controlled study. In total, 66 women were included in the study, with 31 in the control group and 35 in the intervention group. The study included mothers who had no vision or hearing impairments and no neurological disorder, who had received breastfeeding counseling during pregnancy, and who had given birth by cesarean delivery to a healthy baby. The control group received standard breastfeeding training while the intervention group watched a breastfeeding video with VR in the 4th and 24th hours after cesarean delivery. Research data were collected with the sociodemographic information form, LATCH Breastfeeding Charting System and Documentation Tool and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale.

Results: As a result of the research, the women in the intervention group were found to have higher mean scores for the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale in the 4th and 24th hours compared to the control group. Mean LATCH scores were also higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. There were linear correlations between the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale scores and LATCH Scale scores.

Conclusion: Breastfeeding self-efficacy and breastfeeding success of mothers who received breastfeeding training with VR at 4th and 24th hours after cesarean delivery were higher than mothers who received standard breastfeeding training.

Clinical Trials Number: NCT06256822.