A comparison of two methods of antenatal breast-feeding education.

Sheehan, A

A comparison of two methods of antenatal breast-feeding education.

Sheehan, A

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Midwifery, 1999, 15 (4), pp. 274 - 282
Issue Date:: 1999-12

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Sheehan, A https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2035-504X	en_US
dc.date.issued	1999-12	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Midwifery, 1999, 15 (4), pp. 274 - 282	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0266-6138	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22419
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVE: To compare a woman-centered antenatal breast-feeding programme based on concepts of peer and husband/partner support with a control group, who received antenatal breast-feeding education led by a midwife childbirth educator. DESIGN: Longitudinal, quasi-experimental study. SETTING: A large private hospital in Sydney. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 179 primiparous women who attended childbirth education classes were recruited. One hundred and fifty-four participants remained following attrition and the application of selection criteria. There were 86 participants in the control group and 68 in the experimental group. The study population had a mean age of 30.4 years, were all married or living with a partner, were predominantly Australian born citizens (84%), and recorded a higher than average level of education than the population in general (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997). INTERVENTION: Nursing Mothers Association Australia (NMAA) representatives, their male partners and a mother who was willing to demonstrate breast-feeding, facilitated the experimental group. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Maternal perceptions of success using the Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale (MBFES) (Leff et al. 1994) and breast-feeding duration rates up to 25 weeks after birth were the outcome measures. No differences were found between groups in relation to maternal perceptions of success or duration rates. A difference was, however, detected in the qualitative data used to explore questions related to breast-feeding support and are to be reported elsewhere. Overall, breast-feeding duration rates were very high when compared to previously reported breast-feeding duration rates in Australia. There were no differences in breast-feeding duration rates or in maternal perceptions of success between those babies given supplementary feeds in hospital and those who were not, although early supplementation at home appeared to reduce breast-feeding duration. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: While no differences were found between groups in relation to breast-feeding duration and maternal perceptions of success, the homogeneity of the sample limits its extrapolation. The extraordinary rates of breast-feeding and the lack of research into antenatal breast-feeding education, warrants further investigation of these teaching styles across other populations. Importantly, this research found that a peer-led model of breast-feeding education was as effective as a midwife-led group in producing breast-feeding initiation and duration rates higher than other previously reported breast-feeding rates with the potential to enhance social support networks.	en_US
dc.language	eng	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Midwifery	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1054/midw.1999.0186	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Prenatal Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Program Evaluation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Breast Feeding	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Teaching	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Patient-Centered Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Patient Education as Topic	en_US
dc.title	A comparison of two methods of antenatal breast-feeding education.	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	15	en_US
utslib.location.activity	Scotland	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	15	en_US

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To compare a woman-centered antenatal breast-feeding programme based on concepts of peer and husband/partner support with a control group, who received antenatal breast-feeding education led by a midwife childbirth educator. DESIGN: Longitudinal, quasi-experimental study. SETTING: A large private hospital in Sydney. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 179 primiparous women who attended childbirth education classes were recruited. One hundred and fifty-four participants remained following attrition and the application of selection criteria. There were 86 participants in the control group and 68 in the experimental group. The study population had a mean age of 30.4 years, were all married or living with a partner, were predominantly Australian born citizens (84%), and recorded a higher than average level of education than the population in general (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997). INTERVENTION: Nursing Mothers Association Australia (NMAA) representatives, their male partners and a mother who was willing to demonstrate breast-feeding, facilitated the experimental group. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Maternal perceptions of success using the Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale (MBFES) (Leff et al. 1994) and breast-feeding duration rates up to 25 weeks after birth were the outcome measures. No differences were found between groups in relation to maternal perceptions of success or duration rates. A difference was, however, detected in the qualitative data used to explore questions related to breast-feeding support and are to be reported elsewhere. Overall, breast-feeding duration rates were very high when compared to previously reported breast-feeding duration rates in Australia. There were no differences in breast-feeding duration rates or in maternal perceptions of success between those babies given supplementary feeds in hospital and those who were not, although early supplementation at home appeared to reduce breast-feeding duration. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: While no differences were found between groups in relation to breast-feeding duration and maternal perceptions of success, the homogeneity of the sample limits its extrapolation. The extraordinary rates of breast-feeding and the lack of research into antenatal breast-feeding education, warrants further investigation of these teaching styles across other populations. Importantly, this research found that a peer-led model of breast-feeding education was as effective as a midwife-led group in producing breast-feeding initiation and duration rates higher than other previously reported breast-feeding rates with the potential to enhance social support networks.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22419