The 'Earlybird' gets the breastmilk: Findings from an evaluation of combined professional and peer support groups to improve breastfeeding duration in the first eight weeks after birth

Kruske, S; Schmied, V; Cook, M

The 'Earlybird' gets the breastmilk: Findings from an evaluation of combined professional and peer support groups to improve breastfeeding duration in the first eight weeks after birth

Kruske, S

Schmied, V

Cook, M

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Maternal and Child Nutrition, 2007, 3 (2), pp. 108 - 119
Issue Date:: 2007-04-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kruske, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2317-3954	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Schmied, V https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4066-1781	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Cook, M	en_US
dc.date.issued	2007-04-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Maternal and Child Nutrition, 2007, 3 (2), pp. 108 - 119	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1740-8695	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/4810
dc.description.abstract	Australia has high initiation rates of breastfeeding, but the challenges of establishing and maintaining breastfeeding in the first few months of infant life result in many women changing to artificial formula feeding. This paper reports on the impact of a new strategy to improve breastfeeding duration rates in the first 8 weeks post-partum. The Earlybird Program (EBP) combines the professional expertise of child and family health (C&FH) nurses with the expertise of the participating mothers to support each other in establishing breastfeeding in the first 8 weeks. This retrospective study compared the breastfeeding patterns of first-time mothers who attended the EBP, with the breastfeeding patterns of mothers who accessed individual appointments with the nurses in a 12-month period, and examined the predictors of continued breastfeeding at 8 weeks. The total sample comprised 193 infant records. Women who selected the EBP were more likely to be employed and less likely to be categorized as non-English speaking background. These women also had more visits to the C&FH service. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with breastfeeding cessation at 8 weeks post-natal. After adjusting for variables, only exclusive breastfeeding at first visit and attending the EBP were significant predictors of continuing to breastfeed at 8 weeks. Facilitation skills that recognize the expertise of participating women were considered an important aspect of the programme. © 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Maternal and Child Nutrition	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/j.1740-8709.2007.00078.x	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nutrition & Dietetics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Postnatal Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Retrospective Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Peer Group	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Breast Feeding	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Time Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Infant	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Infant, Newborn	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child Health Services	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.title	The 'Earlybird' gets the breastmilk: Findings from an evaluation of combined professional and peer support groups to improve breastfeeding duration in the first eight weeks after birth	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	3	en_US
utslib.for	1111 Nutrition and Dietetics	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	3	en_US

Abstract:

Australia has high initiation rates of breastfeeding, but the challenges of establishing and maintaining breastfeeding in the first few months of infant life result in many women changing to artificial formula feeding. This paper reports on the impact of a new strategy to improve breastfeeding duration rates in the first 8 weeks post-partum. The Earlybird Program (EBP) combines the professional expertise of child and family health (C&FH) nurses with the expertise of the participating mothers to support each other in establishing breastfeeding in the first 8 weeks. This retrospective study compared the breastfeeding patterns of first-time mothers who attended the EBP, with the breastfeeding patterns of mothers who accessed individual appointments with the nurses in a 12-month period, and examined the predictors of continued breastfeeding at 8 weeks. The total sample comprised 193 infant records. Women who selected the EBP were more likely to be employed and less likely to be categorized as non-English speaking background. These women also had more visits to the C&FH service. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with breastfeeding cessation at 8 weeks post-natal. After adjusting for variables, only exclusive breastfeeding at first visit and attending the EBP were significant predictors of continuing to breastfeed at 8 weeks. Facilitation skills that recognize the expertise of participating women were considered an important aspect of the programme. © 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/4810