Evaluating effects of a prenatal breastfeeding education programme on women with caesarean delivery in Taiwan

The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of a prenatal breastfeeding education programme for primigravida women who have elected caesarean section as a model of delivery and (2) to evaluate its effectiveness for encouraging a positive attitude to breastfeeding and rooming-in and to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates within hospital and at one month postpartum.

Prenatal preparation for pregnant women about breastfeeding enhances their practical knowledge and skills about breastfeeding techniques, which prepares them when encountering possible difficulties.

A quasi-experimental design was used.

The targeted population was primigravidas at 36-39 weeks and who had chosen to deliver by caesarean section. The study consisted of approximately 100 individuals; the control group consisted of 46 subjects and the following 54 made up the experimental group. The study was conducted at a hospital in Taiwan.

The results of the study show that the subjects of the experimental group exhibited a more positive breastfeeding attitude (88.9 vs. 79.8, t = 7.40, p < 0.001), a higher 24 hours rooming-in rate (87% vs. 63%, chi(2) = 16.06, p < 0.001) and a higher exclusive breastfeeding rate (79.6% vs. 52.2%, chi(2) = 8.38, p = 0.004) during hospital stays and a higher exclusive breastfeeding rate (75.9% vs. 34.7%, chi(2) = 16.98, p < 0.001) for the one month postpartum period.

Results suggest that providing education booklets, videos and telephone interview on breastfeeding prior to a caesarean delivery may contribute to breastfeeding attitude and improved rooming-in and exclusive breastfeeding rates.

This breastfeeding education programme has proven to be successful in aiding women breastfeeding after a caesarean delivery and provides health care professionals with an evidence-based intervention.