A postpartum breastfeeding education model

Includes bibliographical references (pages 67-70)The primary purpose of this project was to identify and develop\ud a breastfeeding model that could be implemented for educating mothers\ud during their postpartum hospitalization. The goal of this project\ud was achieved through specific methodological steps. Administrative\ud support was obtained. Extensive information was collected through\ud needs assessments of both the patients and staff. An initial comprehensive\ud indepth needs assessment was conducted hospital-wide.\ud Analysis of the data led to a second needs assessment narrowed\ud specifically to the staff of the Obstetrics Department. Analysis of\ud the data obtained from the second needs assessment supported the\ud literature findings, which strongly indicated that new mothers need\ud and want breastfeeding education during the postpartum stay. This\ud information served as a basis for the Postpartum Breastfeeding Education\ud Model that was developed and put through a validation process\ud with six experts from the field of maternal/child health and/or \ud education. This model will standardize the information to be given\ud to new mothers, and assure that all mothers delivering at Pleasant\ud Valley Hospital will all have the opportunity to receive the same,\ud accurate and current information on breastfeeding. Hopefully this\ud will increase the probability of a successful and pleasurable experience\ud for the new mother and baby. The recommendations based on\ud other findings received from the data are a need for staff education\ud in the area of breastfeeding and continued support and source of\ud information for mothers after hospital discharge