Postnatal counseling on exclusive breastfeeding using video - experience from a tertiary care teaching hospital, south India.

INTRODUCTION

Adequate antenatal counseling combined with postnatal lactation support is likely to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of a postnatal video based health education program in promoting exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers.

METHODS

This interventional study was done in a tertiary care teaching hospital, south India. Primiparous mothers in one postnatal ward (group A) received routine lactation counseling. A similar group of primiparous mothers in another postnatal ward (group B) were administered a video based health education program on exclusive breastfeeding in the local language Tamil in addition to the routine lactation counseling. The exclusive breastfeeding rates of these two groups of mothers were compared. Their knowledge and perceptions after intervention were also compared using a pretested questionnaire.

RESULTS

Among 878 primiparous mothers, 94% fed colostrum and 43% initiated breastfeeding within one hour of delivery. Correct attachment was noted with 96% and 13% had lactation issues. Group B had marginally better exclusive breastfeeding rate at six months but not statistically significant. Mothers in group B had a statistically significant better knowledge score post-intervention compared to those in Group A. Use of gripe water was more in group A compared to group B.

CONCLUSION

The video based health education program when combined with routine lactation counseling improved the knowledge regarding exclusive breastfeeding among postnatal primiparous mothers better than with routine lactation counseling alone. However, both interventions had similar effect on exclusive breastfeeding rate at six months.