Author
Listed:
- Desirée Mena-Tudela
(Department of Nursing, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain)
- Francisco Javier Soriano-Vidal
(Department of Nursing, Universitat de València, 46007 Valencia, Spain
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Xàtiva-Oninyent Health Department, 46800 Xàtiva, Spain)
- Rafael Vila-Candel
(Department of Nursing, Universitat de València, 46007 Valencia, Spain
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital Universitario de la Ribera, 46600 Alzira, Spain)
- José Antonio Quesada
(Department of Clinical Medicine, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 03550 Alicante, Spain)
- Cristina Martínez-Porcar
(Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital Universitario de la Ribera, 46600 Alzira, Spain)
- Jose M. Martin-Moreno
(Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Biomedical Research Institute INCLIVA, Clinic University Hospital, 46010 Valencia, Spain)
Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) within the first hour after birth. However, certain perinatal factors, namely caesarean section, may prevent this goal from being achieved. The aim of our study was to examine the relationship between EIBF (maternal lactation in the first hours and degree of latching before hospital discharge) and the maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding (MBF) up to the recommended 6 months of age (as advocated by the WHO). Methods: This observational, retrospective cohort study included a random sample of all births between 2018 and 2019, characterising the moment of breastfeeding initiation after birth and the infant’s level of breast latch (measured by LATCH assessment tool) prior to hospital discharge. Data were collected from electronic medical records and from follow-up health checks of infants up to 6 months postpartum. Results: We included 342 women and their newborns. EIBF occurred most often after vaginal ( p < 0.001) and spontaneous births with spontaneous amniorrhexis ( p = 0.002). LATCH score <9 points was associated with a 1.4-fold relative risk of abandoning MBF (95%CI: 1.2–1.7) compared with a score of 9–10 points. Conclusions: Although we were unable to find a significant association between EIBF in the first 2 h after birth and MBF at 6 months postpartum, low LATCH scores prior to discharge were associated with low MBF, indicating the importance of reinforcing the education and preparation efforts of mothers in the first days after delivery, prior to the establishment of an infant feeding routine upon returning home.
Suggested Citation
Desirée Mena-Tudela & Francisco Javier Soriano-Vidal & Rafael Vila-Candel & José Antonio Quesada & Cristina Martínez-Porcar & Jose M. Martin-Moreno, 2023.
"Is Early Initiation of Maternal Lactation a Significant Determinant for Continuing Exclusive Breastfeeding up to 6 Months?,"
IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-11, February.
Handle:
RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3184-:d:1065434
Download full text from publisher
Corrections
All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3184-:d:1065434. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through
the various RePEc services.