Effectiveness of breastfeeding skills training and support program among first time mothers: A randomized control trial

Exclusive breastfeeding continuously for six months is difficult for new mothers. Breastfeeding problems are caused mostly by improper positioning and incorrect latch-on techniques. This randomized control trial investigated the effects of breastfeeding skills training and support program on 6-month-exclusive breastfeeding among Thai mothers giving birth to their first child in a university hospital of northern Thailand. Eighty-three first-time mothers were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental (n=41) or the control group (n=42). The experimental group received the usual care plus the breastfeeding skills training and support program. The control group received only usual care. Data were collected by the Demographic Data Questionnaire, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale: Short Form, Effective Suckling Checklist, and Food Record form. They were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results showed that the rate of 6-month-exclusive breastfeeding in the experimental group was significantly higher than those in the control group. Average scores of breastfeeding self-efficacy were significantly higher in the experimental group than those in the control group at discharge and at 6-weeks postpartum, respectively. It is recommended that this program needs further testing with different groups.