Breastfeeding provides the ideal infant food and is the first step in preventing many chronic conditions. Yet less than 32% receive this food for the recommended first 6 months of life (Ryan, 2002). The Healthy People 2010 goal of 50% breastfeeding for six months is not being met (USDHHS, 2000). Innovative holistic interventions are needed to promote sustained breastfeeding. This pilot study explored the feasibility of using motivational interviewing [MI], a client centered strategy to promote sustained breastfeeding. MI was compared to usual care to determine if mothers reported greater self-efficacy to breastfeed, greater intention to sustain breastfeeding, and then, sustained breastfeeding longer than mothers who received usual care. Sustained breastfeeding was validated by biomarkers, oligosaccharides in infant feces and infant test weights. Seventy-six primiparous breastfeeding mothers recruited from a Midwest rural area were randomly assigned to intervention group and followed for 6 months. Oligosaccharides and infant test weights validated breastfeeding behavior. There was a positive relationship between intention to sustain breastfeeding (at day two after birth) and duration of breastfeeding (r=.287; p=.020) as well as self-efficacy (at two weeks) and duration of breastfeeding (r=.285; p=.033). There was no difference between the MI intervention and usual care group in self-efficacy for breastfeeding (t=1.6, p=.109). Survival analysis showed that women in the MI group did sustain breastfeeding longer than women in the usual care group (median days of 115 versus 59), but differences between the survival curves were not significant.
Session #1036 - Sustaining Breastfeeding: Issues and Research
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)