A descriptive survey of data collection in breastfeeding services at Victorian maternity hospitals

An increasing number of breastfeeding clinics have been established in Victoria, Australia since 1994. The aim of this study was to identify hospital breastfeeding clinics in the state of Victoria and to examine their methods of data collection. A further aim was to investigate the feasibility of developing a standard, minimum data-set or attendance registration form for breastfeeding clinics. A postal questionnaire was sent to 82 Victorian maternity hospitals in September 2000. The response rate was 93% (76/82); 81% (62/76) indicated a need for a standard form. The 37 hospitals (49%) that provide a breastfeeding clinic collect a variable amount of information from their clients. Thirteen breastfeeding clinics are provided by maternity hospitals with over 1000 births annually, and they see an average of nine women per week (range 2-18). The collection of standard information would enable a comprehensive description of individual breastfeeding clinic services and comparison between service providers. This could act as the starting point for evaluating breastfeeding clinic service accessibility, profile of usage and the impact on breastfeeding outcomes.