A Pilot Study to Determine the Effect of Prenatal Breastfeeding Education on the Intended and Actual Duration of Breastfeeding
Location
CSU
Student's Major
School of Nursing
Student's College
Allied Health and Nursing
Mentor's Name
Marcia Stevens
Mentor's Department
School of Nursing
Mentor's College
Allied Health and Nursing
Description
Current recommendations for the duration of breastfeeding are well established. However, current statistics show that only 18 percent of the approximately 50 percent of women who initiate breastfeeding in the hospital are still breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum. Would a class on breastfeeding offered to women prenatally cause an increase in duration of breastfeeding postpartum? The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effects of prenatal breastfeeding education on the intended and actual duration of breastfeeding following hospital discharge in women who were breastfeeding their babies for the first time. This pilot study consisted of a convenience sample of 13 women who were enrolled in a free breastfeeding class. The participants identified duration of intended breastfeeding both before and after the class. After giving birth, the women were contacted on the phone by the researcher at specified intervals to determine the current status of their babies' breastfeeding. The key finding of this study was the influence of postpartum contact with the class instructor on continued breastfeeding. Further studies are needed to verify this positive effect.
A Pilot Study to Determine the Effect of Prenatal Breastfeeding Education on the Intended and Actual Duration of Breastfeeding
CSU
Current recommendations for the duration of breastfeeding are well established. However, current statistics show that only 18 percent of the approximately 50 percent of women who initiate breastfeeding in the hospital are still breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum. Would a class on breastfeeding offered to women prenatally cause an increase in duration of breastfeeding postpartum? The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effects of prenatal breastfeeding education on the intended and actual duration of breastfeeding following hospital discharge in women who were breastfeeding their babies for the first time. This pilot study consisted of a convenience sample of 13 women who were enrolled in a free breastfeeding class. The participants identified duration of intended breastfeeding both before and after the class. After giving birth, the women were contacted on the phone by the researcher at specified intervals to determine the current status of their babies' breastfeeding. The key finding of this study was the influence of postpartum contact with the class instructor on continued breastfeeding. Further studies are needed to verify this positive effect.
