Improving Exclusive Breastfeeding Behavior of Primipara Mothers with Lactation Education and Individualized Counseling Intervention

Abstract

Introduction: New mothers often need support to establish and maintain breastfeeding, and they may find it difficult to access breastfeeding resources locally. Therefore, postpartum lactation education and counseling of primipara mothers were given by integrating into their routine follow-ups in the family health center. This study was conducted to determine the effect of lactation education and individual counseling intervention integrated into the routine follow-up visits of primipara mothers in family health centers on exclusive breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding behaviors during the first 6 months postpartum. Methods: A two-factor, pretest-posttest, controlled, semi-experimental, prospective study was conducted. The study was conducted in three family health centers in a city on the north coast of Turkey. The interviews with the primipara mothers were performed between the 24th and 72nd hours and at the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th months postpartum. Results: The rates of giving exclusive breastfeeding to the infants in the first 6 months were 68% in the study group and 38% in the control group, exhibiting a statistically significant difference between the groups with regard to breastfeeding frequency (p=.001). Conclusions: It was determined that the education and counseling integrated into the existing health system were effective in increasing the EBF rates and breastfeeding behaviors of primipara mothers in the first 6 months after birth.