Early Care and Education Professionals' Breastfeeding Knowledge and Practices Before and After an E-Learning Program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Nutrition

Background:

• Breastfeeding is crucial for infant and maternal health.
• Early care and education (ECE) professionals play a vital role in supporting breastfeeding families.
• Gaps in knowledge and practice among ECE professionals can hinder breastfeeding success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a 90-minute e-learning program on ECE professionals' breastfeeding knowledge.
• To assess changes in ECE professionals' breastfeeding practices post-training.
• To identify areas for improvement in supporting breastfeeding families within child care environments.

Main Methods:

• 114 ECE professionals from licensed child care programs in New Hampshire completed a pre-assessment.
• Participants engaged in a 90-minute e-learning module on breastfeeding.
• A post-assessment was administered three months after training, with statistical analysis using McNemar and McNemar-Bowker tests.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in 10 out of 15 breastfeeding knowledge questions, covering infant health, economics, and environmental impact.
• Significant changes were noted in 24 out of 50 breastfeeding practice questions, including milk handling, promotion, and mother support.
• The e-learning program effectively enhanced knowledge and practice related to breastfeeding support.

Conclusions:

• The e-learning program demonstrated success in improving ECE professionals' breastfeeding knowledge and practices.
• Opportunities remain to develop targeted interventions to further strengthen breastfeeding support in child care settings.
• Enhanced professional development is essential for optimizing the child care environment for breastfeeding families.