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The Effectiveness of Structured Education and Follow-Up in the Management of Perceived Milk Insufficiency Breastfeeding Mothers: A Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Müge Sağlık,
  • Zekiye Karaçam
Müge Sağlık

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Zekiye Karaçam
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Abstract

Rationale, aims, and objectives: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of structured education and follow-up in the management of perceived milk insufficiency and increasing the baby’s amount of milk intake among breastfeeding mothers. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was carried over the period December 2018-June 2019 at Family Health Centers in Turkey with 64 mothers (study group: 33 and control group: 31). The study group were provided with education with structured educational material and followed. Data were collected with a Descriptive Information Form, a Breastfeeding Follow-up Form and the IMDAT- Scoring System for Measuring a Baby’s Intake of Breast Milk. Results: Mothers in the study group started breastfeeding their babies in the first one hour after birth (study: 97.0%; control: 77.4%; χ² = 5.586, p = 0.018). It was observed at each monitoring that a significantly greater percentage of the mothers in the study group believed their milk to be sufficient (study: 84.8%, 90.9% and 78.8; control: 38.8%, 38.8% and 38.8%, respectively) and that they fed their babies exclusively with breast milk (study: 84.8%, 87.9% and 78.8; control: 32.3%, 38.7% and 35.5%, respectively) in the tree follow-ups. The data obtained at all three tracking times showed that that the baby’s amount of milk intake in the study group (%81.8; %78.8 and %60.6, respectively) were better than in the control group (%54.8; %48.4 and %29.0, respectively); these differences were seen to be statistically significant. These results were also confirmed by regression analysis, in which education level, working status and having experience in breastfeeding were considered as impact modifier variables. Conclusion: This study concluded that the structured education and follow-ups increased the feeding 0-2 month-old babies exclusively breast milk and the amount of the baby’s milk intake, and while perceptions of breast milk deficiency diminished