A Study on the Rate of Breast-feeding Practice by Education and Continuous Telephone Follow-up

Eun Kwang Yoo; Myoung Hee Kim; Won Shim Seo

doi:10.4069/kjwhn.2002.8.3.424

Background & Purpose

Since the 1970's the rate of breast-feeding has decreased significantly. The Korean National Institute of Health reported that the rate of breastfeeding was 68.9% in 1982 and 14.1% in 1997. There are many influencing factors including: the lack of education and information on breast feeding, lack of faith in breast feeding, increment of the rate of working, lack of encouragement by supporters in difficult situations, and nurses' low level of knowledge about breast feeding.

Such a lack of knowledge and support of breast-feeding at home by family members create another dilemma to the problem of breast-feeding. If problems arise and family members are unable to provide assistance due to the deficiency of knowledge, mothers show a tendency to abandon breast-feeding.

The purpose of this research is to find out the rate of breast-feeding practice by time sequence of 1 week, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after birth and influencing factors on breast-feeding practice centered on the postpartal women who were 3discharged from one hospital, which is located in Seoul and provides simple breast-feeding education and continuous postnatal telephone consultation.

Methodology

The subjects of this research were 54 women who gave birth in a hospital located in Seoul from 1 March 2000 to 31 April 2000.

After birth the subjects were educated individually about breast-feeding and telephone consultations were conducted. On the 1st week, 6th week, and 12th week, the subjects were surveyed about their breast-feeding practice rates and methods by telephone.

Results

Complete breast-feeding rate: Within one week after birth, the subjects showed 64.2% complete breast-feeding rate. Within 6 weeks, 39.6%, and 12 weeks, 34.1%.
Partial breast-feeding rate: Within one week after birth, the subjects showed 32.1% partial breast-feeding rate. Within 6 weeks, 39.6%, and 12 weeks 15.1%.
Complete bottle-feeding rate Within one week after birth, the subjects showed 1.9% complete bottle-feeding rate. Within 6 weeks of giving birth 15.1%, and 12 weeks 17.0%.

These results show that individual education about breast-feeding and continuous postnatal telephone consultation influenced on the practice of breast-feeding. On considering the reality of the hospital situation in which nurses could not operate education program due to the work-load, it is necessary to find out selectively those mothers who are unable to breast feed and provide education individually and continuous support by telephone follow up. Futhermore, the active role of lactation nurse specialist and their efficient management of breast-feeding for the successful practice is required.