Boosting or Blocking Breastfeeding Confidence? The Role of Online Breastfeeding Content in Relation to Mothers' Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy

Mothers increasingly go online to find answers to their breastfeeding concerns, read personal experiences, or connect with breastfeeding “mommy influencers.” This study analyzes how the consultation of online platforms and breastfeeding‐related posts is linked to mothers' breastfeeding self‐efficacy, and whether this relationship is moderated by mothers' different motives (i.e., information‐seeking, entertainment, or community building) for consuming such content online within a Dutch‐speaking context. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory and the Uses and Gratifications framework, an online survey ( N = 354; M age = 31, 22) was conducted among Dutch‐speaking mothers. Participants reported their exposure to online breastfeeding content from various resources (social media, “Mommy influencers,” parenting community groups), their motives for consulting these different resources, and their breastfeeding self‐efficacy. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) reveals that online breastfeeding content consumption is not directly related to breastfeeding self‐efficacy. However, an interaction effect was found with the information‐seeking motive: mothers using online parenting platforms for informational purposes show a more negative association between online exposure to breastfeeding content and breastfeeding self‐efficacy compared to mothers not using these platforms for informational reasons. These findings highlight the complex role of online breastfeeding content, suggesting that informational motives may shape mothers' self‐efficacy differently.