Effect of discharge samples on duration of breast-feeding

Pediatrics. 1992 Aug;90(2 Pt 1):233-7.

Abstract

The breast-feeding patterns of 146 women who initiated breast-feeding during their hospital stay were evaluated to determine whether those women who received a hospital discharge package containing a manual breast pump breast-fed their infants for a longer period of time than did women who received a discharge package containing an infant formula. Women were randomly assigned to receive either a specially prepared pack containing a manual breast pump but no infant formula or a commercially available infant formula package. The women were interviewed in the hospital and by computer-assisted telephone interviews at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks postdischarge. Information obtained included infant-feeding practices, sociodemographic characteristics, and attitudinal data. Follow-up interviews were completed for nearly 85% of eligible women at each time period. Women who received a discharge pack containing a breast pump but no infant formula continued exclusive breast-feeding for a greater number of weeks (mean = 4.18 weeks) than did women receiving infant formula in their discharge package (mean = 2.78 weeks) (P less than .05). Also, women who indicated that ease of nighttime feeding was an important consideration were more likely to breast-feed over the entire 8-week period if they received the breast pump rather than infant formula (P less than .05). The conclusion is that an easily implemented, low-cost intervention, the inclusion of a breast pump in discharge packages, may increase the duration of breast-feeding.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Breast Feeding*
  • Education
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Health Education
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Income
  • Infant Care*
  • Infant Food*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Logistic Models
  • Marriage
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital
  • Patient Discharge
  • Time Factors