Enhancing Successful Breastfeeding: A Skill-based Education Intervention for First-Time Mothers.

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and immune protection for newborns; however, in India and other low- and middleincome countries, only about half of infants are breastfed within the first hour of birth, making initiation and continuation challenging. This study assessed the effectiveness of a skill-based group education module on breastfeeding among primiparous women in the third trimester in establishing successful breastfeeding.

Materials and methods: A quasirandomized controlled trial was conducted from December 2023 to May 2024 in the inpatient and outpatient departments of AIIMS Rishikesh and SPS Hospital. Primiparous women in the third trimester were allocated day-wise to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group received a validated skill-based breastfeeding education session supplemented with WhatsApp support and routine antenatal care (ANC), while the control group received routine ANC alone. Data on breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF), breastfeeding self-efficacy (BFSEF), and challenges were collected before and after the intervention.

Results: The intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in knowledge scores, increasing from a prepartum mean of 3.12 (SD (standard deviation) =0.87) to 7.93 (SD = 0.25) postdelivery, with a mean difference of 4.81 (SD = 0.90). Although the proportion of EIBF was higher in the intervention group, the difference was not statistically significant after adjustment for baseline knowledge. The overall mean breastfeeding success score was higher in the intervention group (16.13, SD = 1.15) compared with the control group (15.35, SD = 1.15). BFSEF was also significantly higher in the intervention group (45.36, SD = 3.98) than in the control group (40.71, SD = 4.05).

Conclusions: Skill-based breastfeeding education significantly improved maternal knowledge, components of successful breastfeeding, and selfefficacy. Although EIBF rates did not differ significantly, the intervention enhanced preparedness and confidence among firsttime mothers.

Trail registration: CTRI/2024/02/063346 (Clinical trial registry of India registered on February 29, 2024. First patient recruited on March 29, 2024).