A comparison of two methods of antenatal breast-feeding education

To compare a woman-centered antenatal breast-feeding programme based on concepts of peer and husband/partner support with a control group, who received antenatal breast-feeding education led by a midwife childbirth educator.

Longitudinal, quasi-experimental study.

A large private hospital in Sydney.

A convenience sample of 179 primiparous women who attended childbirth education classes were recruited. One hundred and fifty-four participants remained following attrition and the application of selection criteria. There were 86 participants in the control group and 68 in the experimental group. The study population had a mean age of 30.4 years, were all married or living with a partner, were predominantly Australian born citizens (84%), and recorded a higher than average level of education than the population in general (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997).

Nursing Mothers Association Australia (NMAA) representatives, their male partners and a mother who was willing to demonstrate breast-feeding, facilitated the experimental group.

Maternal perceptions of success using the Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale (MBFES) (Leff et al. 1994) and breast-feeding duration rates up to 25 weeks after birth were the outcome measures. No differences were found between groups in relation to maternal perceptions of success or duration rates. A difference was, however, detected in the qualitative data used to explore questions related to breast-feeding support and are to be reported elsewhere. Overall, breast-feeding duration rates were very high when compared to previously reported breast-feeding duration rates in Australia. There were no differences in breast-feeding duration rates or in maternal perceptions of success between those babies given supplementary feeds in hospital and those who were not, although early supplementation at home appeared to reduce breast-feeding duration.

While no differences were found between groups in relation to breast-feeding duration and maternal perceptions of success, the homogeneity of the sample limits its extrapolation. The extraordinary rates of breast-feeding and the lack of research into antenatal breast-feeding education, warrants further investigation of these teaching styles across other populations. Importantly, this research found that a peer-led model of breast-feeding education was as effective as a midwife-led group in producing breast-feeding initiation and duration rates higher than other previously reported breast-feeding rates with the potential to enhance social support networks.