The purpose of this article is to examine how breastfeeding, directly at the breast, for the first 24-48 hours postpartum affects the breastfeeding rate at 6 months. This article was published in BMJ Open in 2015 and the lead author is Della A. Forster. The primary research question for this team was the following: “Are healthy term infants fed solely at the breast in the first 24-48 hours of life more likely to be having any breast milk at 6 months than those receiving any other combination of feeding, including the use of EBM (expressed breast milk) and/or infant formula?” (Forster, Johns, Mclachlan, Moorhead, Mcegan, Amir, 2015)
Methods
This study was conducted as a prospective cohort known as the “Mothers and …show more content…
Research staff visited the various postnatal wards and sequentially approached eligible women about participation. The eligibility of women consisted of the following criteria: (i) feeding some breast milk, (ii) agreement to participate, (iii) had a singleton infant born at term (at least 37weeks), and (iv) were English speaking. Severe illness of either the mother or baby rendered them ineligible. The staff recruited an even ratio of primiparous to multiparous women with a total study group of 914 women. All three hospitals had similar breastfeeding practices including rooming-in, early skin-to-skin contact and available lactation consultants during the postnatal period. The mean age of participants was 33.2 years old and the mean age of infants at the 6-month interview was 31.2 weeks old. 97% of the participants were either married or living with a partner during the study. Nearly 68% were born in Australia and 60% had obtained a degree or higher. The largest economic subgroup included 44% of participants and reported them earning between $1,000-1,999 per a week …show more content…
I agree with the methodology and outcomes stated. I do feel that more research is needed in order to decipher why healthcare providers may be advising postpartum mothers not to breastfeed. One variable I think would vary in the USA would be the number of women married to or living with the partner during the postpartum time. I feel this variable would be dramatically different in American women and could cause a large differential in data from this Australian study. I feel that the American population would benefit from a public figure demonstrating and encouraging breastfeeding. Many young women do not understand the potential benefits it can have for them and their baby. I feel that if someone such as Kim Kardashian were to exemplify a positive breastfeeding image many more women would at least look into it for their babies. Overall, I enjoyed learning about the correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and the results 6 months