Background: Despite efforts by various organizations, achieving breastfeeding goals are still far from optimal. Lactation management clinic (LMC)supports breastfeeding through counselling, prepares mother and family for breastfeeding and identifies maternal conditions which hinders breastfeeding.
Aim: This research was conducted to study the effect of antenatal breastfeeding counselling of first-time mothers in LMC on feeding practices till 2 years postpartum.
Methods: A total of 300 first-time mothers were enrolled. Out of them, antenatal breastfeeding counselling was offered to 150 women in LMC by trained lactation team and rest 150 women didn’t receive breastfeeding counselling. They were followed longitudinally till 2 years postpartum for pre-defined outcomes. Chi-square test was used for testing statistical significance.
Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable in both the groups. Initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth, breastfeeding on demand even during night time, feeding with correct breastfeeding technique, acceptance of mother’s milk as a complete diet and exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months were significantly higher in counseled group than non-counseled group (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: Antenatal breastfeeding counselling in lactation management clinic has been found to improve breastfeeding practices in this study. This needs to be strengthened with multi-disciplinary involvement including obstetricians, pediatricians and lactation nurses, so as to reach out the mothers in both antenatal and postnatal periods. The lactation management clinic facility should be extended to all hospitals with maternal and child health services as this in turn would bring attitudinal changes in the community and thereby exerting positive effect on the breastfeeding practices.
