The effect of training nursery staff in breastfeeding guidance on the duration of breastfeeding in healthy term infants.

E. S. Shinwell*, Y. Churgin, M. Shlomo, M. Shani, O. Flidel-Rimon

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Promoting breastfeeding is a central aim of child health care. It is critical to develop approaches that are inexpensive, effective, and suitable across cultural and socioeconomic groups. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of training perinatal-neonatal nursing and medical staff in breastfeeding guidance on the duration of breastfeeding in a middle-income urban population. METHODS: This was an interventional study with data collection before and after. The intervention was an intensive course on breastfeeding guidance provided to all of the neonatal nurses and midwives in a local general hospital (2001-2002). Data were collected on two cohorts of mothers and infants (before -1999 [n = 471], after -2003 [n = 364]) regarding the duration of breastfeeding and factors influencing its discontinuation. RESULTS: The rate of breastfeeding initiation rose from 84% to 93% (p = 0.0001) and the mean duration of breastfeeding rose from 3.7 +/- 3.7 to 5.6 +/- 4.3 months (p = 0.0001). The rate of breastfeeding in the delivery room rose from 3% to 37% (p = 0.0001). Satisfaction with breastfeeding guidance in the hospital rose from 43% to 79% (p = 0.0001). However, there was no change in the proportion of mothers who planned to breastfeed this infant (88% in both cohorts) and no significant differences in the reasons given by the mothers for stopping breastfeeding. CONCLUSION: Training hospital nursery staff in breastfeeding guidance is a potential, cost-effective intervention even in settings with relatively high rates of breastfeeding.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)247-252
Number of pages6
JournalBreastfeeding Medicine
Volume1
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The effect of training nursery staff in breastfeeding guidance on the duration of breastfeeding in healthy term infants.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this