POSTPARTAL MOTHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF IN-HOSPITAL BREASTFEEDING INFORMATION AND AFFECTIVE SUPPORT AS RELATED TO BREASTFEEDING STATUS.
Contributors: Ohio State University.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 182
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This descriptive study sought to document the following: (1) perceptions of postpartum mothers about in-hospital information and affective support for breastfeeding; (2) the relation of these perceptions to length of hospital stay; (3) educational follow-up during the first week post-discharge; and (4) the breastfeeding status during the first week post-discharge, four weeks, and eight weeks after delivery in relation to these variables.

A sample of 119 volunteer mothers was recruited from childbirth education classes in Columbus, Ohio. They were interviewed by telephone at one week post-discharge, four weeks and eight weeks after delivery. A prenatal questionnaire for demographic information and two investigator-developed Likert-type scales were utilized. The INFO scale measured the mothers' need for more information in ten content areas relating to breastfeeding. The PASS scale measured the mothers' perception of the hospital nurses' affective support for breastfeeding.

Results indicated that forty percent of the 119 mothers initially desiring to breastfeed were complete breastfeeders at eight weeks after delivery. There was no significant difference between short and long stay mothers on the INFO and PASS scales. Mothers needing more information tended to be incomplete breastfeeders at four weeks after delivery. Shorter length of stay Caesarean delivery mothers tended to be incomplete breastfeeders. Descriptive statistics suggested that over half of the mothers wanted more information on expressing/pumping milk. Over fifty percent of the mothers added formula because of a concern about insufficient milk supply.

A discriminant analysis indicated that complete breastfeeders tended to have a longer length of stay in the hospital, delivery at Hospital B or C, a baby's father who encouraged breastfeeding, an uncertain attitude about formula supplementation, lower PASS score and more years of education; they tended to classify the main income earner in the skilled occupation category.

Recommendations include the need for further research on hospital routines and policies relating to breastfeeding. The concern of breastfeeding mothers about lactation insufficiency should be emphasized to health professionals. In addition, research should be conducted to determine the impact on breastfeeding duration of breastfeeding promotion programs for expectant fathers.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-08, Section: B, page: 3396.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, 1989.

School code: 0168.