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Health Professionals' Perspectives on Breastfeeding Support Practices
Maha M Al-Madani1, Laila Y Abu-Salem1
1Fundamentals of Nursing Department, College of Nursing, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences
|February 22, 2019
Summary
Healthcare professionals reported a lack of adherence to the WHO Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) at a Saudi Arabian teaching hospital. This indicates a need for improved breastfeeding support policies and practices.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Declining exclusive breastfeeding rates contribute to increased infant mixed feeding.
- The World Health Organization's Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is linked to improved breastfeeding rates.
- The adherence to BFHI ten steps at the University of Dammam's teaching hospital was previously unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate healthcare professionals' views on breastfeeding support.
- To assess current breastfeeding support practices at the teaching hospital.
Main Methods:
- Mixed-methods cross-sectional study at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Saudi Arabia.
- Phase 1: Self-administered questionnaire on awareness and opinions.
- Phase 2: Qualitative interviews informed by Phase 1 results; descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used.
Main Results:
- The hospital did not follow BFHI-recommended breastfeeding support policies.
- Mothers facing breastfeeding challenges were not referred for assistance.
- Post-discharge follow-up calls were not made; no hospital-based support groups or lactation consultants were available.
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for implementing breastfeeding support policies and staff education aligned with BFHI.
- Further research is required to explore mothers' perspectives on breastfeeding support at the hospital.