The Effect of Prenatal Education on Breastfeeding Uptake
by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) includes prenatal breastfeeding education as a crucial strategy to increase breastfeeding rates. The World Health Organization set a 2025 goal of 50% exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months, yet we are far from that goal. In the USA, our 2019 six-month exclusive breastfeeding rate was 24.9%.
There is evidence that lack of knowledge among lactating individuals has a negative impact on breastfeeding rates, as many parents have difficulty understanding and assessing lactation issues, such as sore nipples, latch, low milk production, etc.
The authors of today’s article conducted a systematic review of 14 studies that reported quantitative and qualitative evaluation or effectiveness of all forms of prenatal breastfeeding education on breastfeeding uptake postpartum. Breastfeeding uptake included breastfeeding self-efficacy, attitude, knowledge, family support, and rates of breastfeeding initiation/duration.
The researchers found that overall, various forms of prenatal breastfeeding education increased breastfeeding uptake. Check out the question for details!
- Individual prenatal breastfeeding education was found to be less effective than group prenatal education.
- Prenatal education in general increased maternal self-efficacy, which in turn increased breastfeeding rates.
- Face to face, interactive prenatal breastfeeding education was found to be more effective than pre-recorded computer-based education.
Jeana Rude, IBCLC
This is so validating as a prenatal educator. Although I am surprised that the pre-recorded computer education was the same as in person interactive education, it is so nice to know that I may be making a difference, even if I don’t get to follow the people who take my classes to see how successful they are in their breastfeeding journey. It is such a balance in prenatal education to balance the realism, the challenges and maintain optimism that breastfeeding is possible and worth the work.
Mirine Richey
In our home visiting curriculum we have strategically placed topics in both our prenatal and postpartum materials to review with the client/family. We offer an extended training on breastfeeding (20 hours) to help ensure home visiting staff are minimally skilled to dive a little deeper than the basics when needed and to know how to refer. I am working on evaluating the standard education vs standard education given by a BF trained home visitor, as I feel many of the studies published do not explore the education or training level of the educator or counselor.