Effect of Teté dance on lactation session duration in irritable infants in peru assessed in a randomized controlled...

Infant irritability often shortens breastfeeding sessions, contributing to early weaning. The "Teté Dance," inspired by Peruvian Amazonian traditions, combines rhythmic maternal movements with cheerful music to soothe infants and extend feeding sessions. Objective To evaluate the impact of the "Teté Dance" on breastfeeding session duration. Design Single-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial within a volunteer initiative providing virtual breastfeeding counseling to Peruvian mothers. Infants aged 4-20 weeks (N = 150) with unexplained irritability were randomized (1:1) to the intervention (n = 75) or control (n = 75) groups. The intervention group practiced the Teté Dance, while controls used usual consolation methods. Mothers recorded breastfeeding durations in diaries. The primary outcome was the change in breastfeeding session duration from baseline to 7 days. Staff blinded to group assignments verified entries. Compared to baseline, the intervention group showed a significant increase in breastfeeding session duration after 7 days (36.4 vs. 29.6 min; mean difference + 6.8, 95% CI 4.7-8.9). The "Teté Dance" increased breastfeeding duration by 23%, offering a community-based, low-cost intervention to support lactating mothers. Future studies should explore its long-term effects and applicability in diverse settings.