Effect of maternal-infant attitude on breastfeeding exclusivity and duration

Purpose of Project: The purpose of this project was to support the idea that prenatal breastfeeding classes help improve overall breastfeeding rates. The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale was used to assess maternal attitudes toward breastfeeding. Methodology: The project took place at a women’s health clinic associated with a 554-bed hospital in northern New Jersey, who mainly serve an underserved population. Prospective chart reviews and recruitment were done over a two-week timeframe. The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale was administered when a patient signed up for an educational breastfeeding class and again one week after delivery. Results: A total of four patients showed interest in participating in the study. Three patients signed consents and completed the pre-survey. Two patients attended an online one-hour educational breastfeeding class. Those two patients were contacted one week after delivery to assess for breastfeeding exclusivity and plans for breastfeeding duration. The patients completed the post-test during that time of contact. Those who participated in the study were Hispanic, between the ages of 20 and 29, and had gestational ages of 37 weeks and 38 weeks. Both women indicated it was their first child, and both were on disability leave at time of recruitment. When initially asked about plans for feeding their baby, participant A stated she wanted to exclusively breastfeed, and participant B mentioned she wanted to breastfeed and bottle-feed. Both women had no breastfeeding experience and were both enrolled in WIC. Participant A had a slight increase in scores between the pre- and post-intervention IIFAS. Participant B’s scores remained the same. Since the number of participants recruited for this project was less than anticipated and did not allow for a pre- and post-intervention analysis, more information is needed to assess the benefits of online educational breastfeeding group sessions. Implications for Practice: Both peer support and breastfeeding classes can be provided virtually or in-person to help increase breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity by increasing maternal attitudes towards breastfeeding. Providing support to underserved populations including the Hispanic and African American populations can lead to major changes in practice and help increase the health of these populations. Accordingly, a reduced risk of long-term medical conditions is associated with an overall improved cost effectiveness. Moreover, an increase in breastfeeding can increase bonding between mother and child.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference