Evaluation of the 'Best Start' breast-feeding education program

B. M. Hartley and M. E. O'Connor
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of breast-feeding before and after the "Best Start" breast-feeding educational program was implemented. DESIGN: Preintervention-postintervention trial. SETTING: A women's health center and children's hospital serving a low-income population. PATIENTS: Ninety mother-infant pairs of whom the infants were born between January 2 and February 28, 1993, compared with 90 mother-infant pairs of whom the infants were born between January 2 and February 28, 1994. INTERVENTION: Best Start, a breast-feeding education program, was presented to health professionals and clerical staff of the Women's Health Center. At the first prenatal visit, a woman is asked, "What do you know about breast-feeding?" instead of "Are you going to breast-feed or bottle-feed this baby?" The program elicits and acknowledges the mother's concerns and then educates her about the benefits of breast-feeding. This is repeated at each prenatal visit. OUTCOME MEASURES: Sociodemographic data and breast-feeding rates of preintervention groups were compared with those of postintervention groups. Both hospital and out-patient records were reviewed. RESULTS: In 1993, 13 (15%) of 86 mothers breast-fed at hospital discharge compared with 25 (31%) of 81 in 1994 (P < .03). At the 2-week clinic visit, 11 (13%) of 86 were still breast-feeding in 1993 compared with 17 (21%) of 81 in 1994 (P > .20). The impact on mothers aged 19 years or less was particularly marked, with a tripling of the breast-feeding rate at hospital discharge from 11% (2/18) in 1993 to 37% (10/27) in 1994. CONCLUSION: This simple, low-cost educational intervention with a change in the manner of presentation significantly improved the breast-feeding rates of this low-income population.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Optimizing Breastfeeding Promotion and Support in Adolescent Mothers
Feldman-Winter and Shaikh
J Hum Lact 2007;23:362-367.
ABSTRACT  

Why Do Women Stop Breastfeeding? Findings From the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System
Ahluwalia et al.
Pediatrics 2005;116:1408-1412.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Country of Origin and Race/Ethnicity: Impact on Breastfeeding Intentions
Bonuck et al.
J Hum Lact 2005;21:320-326.
ABSTRACT  

Breastfeeding Attitudes, Intention, and Initiation in Low-Income Women: the Effect of the Best Start Program
Ryser
J Hum Lact 2004;20:300-305.
ABSTRACT  

Breastfeeding Continues to Increase Into the New Millennium
Ryan et al.
Pediatrics 2002;110:1103-1109.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Increasing Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration at a Community Level: An Evaluation of Sagkeeng First Nation's Community Health Nurse and Peer Counselor Programs
Martens
J Hum Lact 2002;18:236-246.
ABSTRACT  

Promoting the initiation of breast feeding
Fairbank et al.
Qual Saf Health Care 2001;10:123-127.
FULL TEXT  

Pediatricians' Practices and Attitudes Regarding Breastfeeding Promotion
Schanler et al.
Pediatrics 1999;103:35e-35.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Strategies to Promote Breast-feeding Among Adolescent Mothers
Wiemann et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152:862-869.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Resurgence of Breastfeeding in the United States
Ryan
Pediatrics 1997;99:e12-e12.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT