The effect of educational intervention on continuous breast feeding in low birth weight infants

Abstract Background: Human milk plays a vital role in growth and development of infants especially in low birth weight & premature neonates. Lack of mothers’ sufficient knowledge and also inadequate support given could lead to failure in continuous breast feeding. Objective: This study was performed to determine the effects of interventional education on continuous breast feeding in low birth weight and premature newborns. Methods: In this interventional study, 55 mothers of low birth weight infants, hospitalized in neonatal ward at Amirkolah children hospital in Babol (Iran), were selected by convenience sampling method. The population study was randomly divided into two study groups marked as experimental group (n=26) and control group (n=29). The data collection tools were a questionnaire including parent and infant demographic information and a recording sheet to register the type of infants' diet. Interventional education was given both theoretically and practically to those in experimental group following the evaluation of mothers and neonates regarding the mothers’ learning needs about breast-feeding. The members of control group were only taken care of according to the hospital routine. All study subjects were followed for three months after discharge to assess their nutritional diet through asking the mothers about continuation or discontinuation of breast-feeding and delivery of necessary instructions to mothers in experimental group having problem with breast feeding and repetition of educational program if needed. The data were analyzed using SPSS. Findings: Three months of exclusively continuous breast-feeding in experimental group led to a significant difference between two groups (p=0.03). The decline in progress of breast feeding during the similar period in control group was quite noticeable compared to experimental group. Conclusion: Based on findings, delivery of necessary education and counseling on breast feeding to mothers according to their needs could enhance the success of continuous breast feeding practice by mothers.