No abstract

Breastfeeding self-efficacy interventions are important for improving breastfeeding outcomes. However, the circumstances that may influence the effectiveness of the interventions are unclear, especially in the context of hospitals with suboptimal infant feeding practices. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effect of a self-efficacy intervention on breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding, and further assessed the difference in its effect by hospital-routine type. In this intervention study with a control group, 781 pregnant women were recruited from 2 “Baby-Friendly”-certified hospitals (BFH) and 2 non-Baby-Friendly Hospitals (nBFH) in Japan, and were allocated to an intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group were provided with a breastfeeding self-efficacy workbook in their third trimester. The primary outcome was breastfeeding self-efficacy and the secondary outcome was infant feeding status. All analyses were stratified by the type of hospital, BFH or nBFH. In BFHs, the intervention improved both breastfeeding self-efficacy through 4 weeks postpartum (p = 0.037) and the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 4 weeks postpartum (AOR 2.32, 95 % CI 1.01–5.33). In nBFHs, however, no positive effect was observed on breastfeeding self-efficacy (p =  0.982) or on the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 4 weeks postpartum (AOR 0.97, 95 % CI 0.52–1.81); in nBFHs, supplementation was provided for breastfed infants and the mother and infant were separated in the vast majority of cases. Infant feeding status at 12 weeks was not improved in either hospital type. The intervention improved breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding at 4 weeks postpartum only in BFHs. When breastfeeding self-efficacy interventions are implemented, hospital infant feeding practices may need to be optimized beforehand.

Background Breastfeeding rates are suboptimal internationally, and many infants are not receiving any breast milk at all by six months of age. Few interventions increase breastfeeding duration, particularly where there is relatively high initiation. The effect of proactive peer (mother-to-mother) support has been found to increase breastfeeding in some contexts but not others, but if it is shown to be effective would be a potentially sustainable model in many settings. We aimed to determine whether proactive telephone-based peer support during the postnatal period increases the proportion of infants being breastfed at six months of age. Methods RUBY (Ringing Up about Breastfeeding earlY) was a multicentre, two-arm un-blinded randomised controlled trial conducted in three hospitals in Victoria, Australia. First-time mothers intending to breastfeed were recruited after birth and prior to hospital discharge, and randomly assigned (1:1) to usual care or usual care plus proactive telephone-based breastfeeding support from a trained peer volunteer for up to six months postpartum. A computerised random number program generated block sizes of four or six distributed randomly, with stratification by site. Research midwives were masked to block size, but masking of allocation was not possible. The primary outcome was the proportion of infants receiving any breast milk at six months of age. Analyses were by intention to treat; data were collected and analysed masked to group. The trial is registered with ACTRN, number 12612001024831. Findings Women were recruited between Feb 14, 2013 and Dec 15, 2015 and randomly assigned to peer support ( n = 574) or usual care ( n = 578). Five were not in the primary analysis [5 post-randomisation exclusions]. Infants of women allocated to telephone-based peer support were more likely than those allocated to usual care to be receiving breast milk at six months of age (intervention 75%, usual care 69%; Adj. RR 1·10; 95% CI 1·02, 1·18). There were no adverse events. Interpretation Providing first time mothers with telephone-based support from a peer with at least six months personal breastfeeding experience is an effective intervention for increasing breastfeeding maintenance in settings with high breastfeeding initiation. Funding The , Australia, philanthropic donation and grant.

Postpartum mental illness affects as many as 1 in 5 mothers, 1 and can result in maternal suffering and diminished functioning. 2 Related impaired mother-infant interactions are linked to poor social, cognitive and behavioural outcomes in children across their lifespan. 3 When mental illness becomes chronic and recurrent, its effects can extend to the entire family and across generations. 4 With emergence of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the World Health Organization declared a global COVID-19 pandemic on Mar. 11, 2020. Globally, efforts to contain the virus have led to widespread travel restrictions, physical distancing and work limitations, causing broad social and financial disruption that has been associated with substantial mental health effects. 5,6 During the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been reporting concerns about postpartum infection, 7 and difficulty accessing the extended postpartum social support networks and key community programs that protect against mental illness, such as home visits from public health nurses, breastfeeding clinics and support groups, owing to public health measures. 8 In Canadian surveys, about 50% of pregnant people reported psychological distress in spring 2020, 9 and alcohol use increased among women, particularly among those with young children. 10 Whether this represents an increased clinical burden of mental illness or need for care is unknown.Using routinely collected health care data from Ontario, Canada, (population of about 14.6 million), we aimed to examine RESEARCHMENTAL HEALTH