A randomized controlled trial of the effects of antenatal milk expression on breastfeeding among first-time mothers in China

Abstract

Background Limited research outside China suggest that antenatal milk expression in late pregnancy (AME) may promote breastfeeding. A few studies have evaluated the safety and efficacy of AME in women with diabetes in pregnancy, little or no evidence exists to explore its effects on breastfeeding self-efficacy and early breastfeeding, particularly in first-time mothers. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of AME on breastfeeding for the first-time mothers during the postpartum hospitalization. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Haikou, Hainan. We recruited pregnant women who had completed 37 weeks of gestation and randomly assigned them to either the intervention group (n = 45) or the control group (n = 45). The pregnant women in the intervention group were advised to rhythmic self-massage of breasts three times daily at any time. The control group was given routine midwifery and obstetric care. The breastfeeding self-efficacy scale(BSES)was used to measure the self-efficacy of breastfeeding at 37 weeks, 38 weeks and the third day postpartum. The time to lactogenesis II and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was measured three times every day by the researcher in the ward. Results Compared with the control group, the intervention group had higher breastfeeding self-efficacy scores measured by the scale of BSES(P < 0.05), the intervention group had higher exclusive breastfeeding rate on the first day, second day, third-day postpartum, and the difference was statistically significant༈P < 0.05). The time to lactogenesis II in the intervention group was earlier than that in the control group(P < 0.05). Conclusions Antenatal breast milk expression at term improved the confidence in the ability to breastfeed and produce milk postpartum, thus significantly improving the behavior of exclusive breastfeeding, and increasing the percentage of breastfed infants during their hospital stay, these infants were able to avoid infant formula milk in this important early period.