The Impact of a Prenatal Education Video on Rates of Breastfeeding Initiation and Exclusivity during the Newborn Hospital Stay in a Low-income Population

Abstract

Original Research Well Established Women of lower socioeconomic status and certain minority women are less likely to initiate breastfeeding and to breastfeed exclusively. Use of educational videos prenatally is a potentially cost-effective strategy to promote breastfeeding. Newly ExpressedThis study tested the effectiveness of a breastfeeding education video in the prenatal clinic. The results suggest that an educational video alone is ineffective in improving the hospital breastfeeding practices of low-income women. BackgroundBreastfeeding provides substantial health, psychosocial, economic, and environmental benefits for both infant and mother, and exclusive breastfeeding grants even greater health benefits than partial breastfeeding. Abstract Background: Guidelines recommend prenatal education to improve breastfeeding rates; however, effective educational interventions targeted at low-income, minority populations are needed as they remain less likely to breastfeed. Objective: To determine whether a low-cost prenatal education video improves hospital rates of breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity in a low-income population. Methods: A total of 522 low-income women were randomized during a prenatal care visit occurring in the third trimester to view an educational video on either breastfeeding or prenatal nutrition and exercise. Using multivariable analyses, breastfeeding initiation rates and exclusivity during the hospital stay were compared. Results: Exposure to the intervention did not affect breastfeeding initiation rates or duration during the hospital stay. The lack of an effect on breastfeeding initiation persisted even after controlling for partner, parent, or other living at home and infant complications (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% CI, 0.70-1.56). In addition, breastfeeding exclusivity rates during the hospital stay did not differ between the groups (P = .87). Conclusion: This study suggests that an educational breastfeeding video alone is ineffective in improving the hospital breastfeeding practices of low-income women. Increasing breastfeeding rates in this at-risk population likely requires a multipronged effort begun early in pregnancy or preconception.

To assess the impact of various modes of postnatal breastfeeding education in promoting breastfeeding practices

“…Women who did well in the beginning continued to do well in terms of feeding their baby and hence emotional and psychological part also to be considered in breastfeeding. Literacy status did not contribute much to the outcome which concludes that proper counselling alone using combined techniques during the post-natal period made a vast change in the outcome even for those participants who were illiterate in contrast to the study done by Rahman et al 9 The following includes few limitations of our study. Our sample size was less and we could not follow up the participants for a longer period.…”

Participation in the “nutrition at the Centre” project through women’s group improved exclusive breastfeeding practices, as measured by the deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique

“…Our results confirmed those of previous studies that showed that regular contact with advising agents and close monitoring were associated with a high rate of EBF practices. For example, in developing countries, family discussion sessions, home visits and video sessions facilitated the practice of EBF by mothers [28,29]. On the other hand, we found that the discrepancy in EBF practices between the VSLA-N@C group and the control group, as determined by DTM, was greater than that revealed by the 24-h recall method.…”

An Investigation Into the Effects of Prenatal Care Instruction at Home on Breast-Feeding Self-Efficacy of First-Time Pregnant Women Referred to Shiraz Clinics, Iran

“…This study showed that video instructions are not enough; however, there is a need for trying other aspects of the education of pregnant women. It is worth mentioning that more attention should be paid to mothers' condition and their limitations regarding time and place of their education (20). In this study, in order to improve the level of primigravida women's self-efficacy, there have been numerous educational sessions based on age, education, comprehension, their need for pamphlets and allotting more time to speech, visual methods, performances, talk show, cooperative life, and questions and answers for mothers and their assistants at home.…”