Search

Aim:   To investigate whether the use of baby carriers by term infants during the first month of life is associated with increased rates of breastfeeding., Methods:   Prospective cohort study. Two hundred mothers with healthy term infants were assigned to receive either a baby carrier and some accurate information and training about the use thereof or only information about breastfeeding. Study groups were followed by phone interviews., Results:   Of the 100 mothers to whom baby carriers were provided, 69 utilized it for at least 1 h per day during the first month of life, while 31 did not use it at all. While breastfeeding rates were similar in both intervention and control groups at discharge from the maternity ward, mothers in the intervention group scored significantly higher with their infants at two (72% vs 51%) and at 5 months of age (48% vs 24%), respectively. The intervention group infants were breastfed significantly more frequently than those of the control group., Conclusions:   Our finding seems to suggest that the use of baby carriers in healthy term infants during their first month is associated with increased breastfeeding duration., (© 2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)

Objective: To investigate whether supporting fathers to recognize the relevance of their role in the success of breastfeeding and teaching them how to prevent and to manage the most common lactation problems would result in more women breastfeeding., Methods: A controlled trial, in which the participating fathers were allocated in 2-month blocks to a child care training session, was conducted of 280 mothers considering breastfeeding and their 280 partners at a university obstetric department in Naples, Italy. Support and advice about breastfeeding was provided to all of the mothers. Among the fathers of the intervention group, the training session included the management of breastfeeding; among those of the control group, it did not. Primary outcome was the prevalence of full breastfeeding at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of women who perceived their milk to be insufficient, who stopped breastfeeding because of problems, and who reported to have received help in breastfeeding management by their partners., Results: The prevalence of full breastfeeding at 6 months was 25% (35 of 140) in the intervention group and 15% (21 of 140) in the control group and that of any breastfeeding at 12 months was 19% (27) and 11% (16), respectively. Perceived milk insufficiency was significantly more frequent among the mothers of the control group (38 [27%] of 140 vs 12 [8.6%] of 140), as well as breastfeeding interruption because of problems with lactation (25 [18%] of 140 vs 6 [4%] of 140). Moreover, significantly more women in the intervention group reported receiving support and relevant help with infant feeding management from their partners (128 [91%] of 140 vs 48 [34%] of 140). Among the women who had reported difficulties with lactation in the intervention and control groups (96 [69%] and 89 [64%], respectively), the prevalence of full breastfeeding at 6 months was 24% and 4.5%, respectively., Conclusions: Teaching fathers how to prevent and to manage the most common lactation difficulties is associated with higher rates of full breastfeeding at 6 months.