Resuming Breastfeeding After Surgery: Influencing Practice Recommendations

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Obstetrics
• Pediatrics
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Inconsistent guidance on breastfeeding after surgery exists.
• Current recommendations often lack strong evidence.
• Mothers need clear, research-backed advice on resuming breastfeeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To align institutional breastfeeding recommendations with current scientific evidence.
• To develop a standardized guideline for resuming breastfeeding post-surgery.
• To improve the quality of care for breastfeeding mothers undergoing surgical procedures.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review informed the development of a local practice guideline.
• Staff education was implemented to disseminate the new guideline.
• Practice recommendations, provider knowledge, and confidence were assessed before and after education, with a 2-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• A two-fold increase in perianesthesia staff recommending early breastfeeding resumption was observed post-education.
• The evidence-based practice project successfully standardized breastfeeding recommendations.
• Sustained impact on provider practice and confidence was measured at 2 years.

Conclusions:

• Standardized, evidence-based guidelines improve breastfeeding recommendations post-surgery.
• Educating perioperative staff is crucial for consistent clinical practice.
• This project demonstrates a successful model for implementing evidence-based practice in maternity care.