Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the proportion of women in the experimental group who had a successful breastfeeding experience following post-discharge nursing intervention with the proportion of women in the control group who had a successful breastfeeding experience without nursing intervention. Criteria defining success in breastfeeding were established before the study. Chi-square analysis was used to test for significance with the preset level of significance being α = 0.05. The sample comprised 25 mother-infant dyads with 12 in the experimental group and 13 in the control group. Both groups were similar in type of delivery (spontaneous or outlet forceps vaginal delivery) , length of labor, gestational age of infant, 1-minute and 5-minute Apgar scores, and birth weights.

The independent variable of the study was the nursing intervention designed to augment the support system of the mother and to facilitate success in breastfeeding. Mothers in the experimental group were contacted by telephone on the day following their hospital discharge and again one week following delivery. An assessment and intervention algorithm was followed to assure a consistent approach to the follow-up. The algorithm specified progression of each conversation from initiation to termination. It included:

  • A series of open-ended questions;
  • Classification of problems into predetermined categories;
  • Initiation of predetermined nursing Interventions;
  • Provision of opportunity for the mother to ask questions;
  • Encouragement for the mother to contact the nurse researcher if problems arose later.

Between five and seven weeks following delivery a final interview of all subjects was conducted by telephone. Data obtained at that time were used to evaluate success In breastfeeding as defined by the study criteria. In the same telephone interview, data regarding certain uncontrolled variables were also obtained. These data were analyzed to detect possible influence upon the outcome of the study.

Similar proportions of experimental and control subjects met all criteria for success in breastfeeding. The Chi-square analysis yielded p = 0.50; therefore, the researcher accepted the null hypothesis that there would be no significant difference between the proportion of women in the experimental group and in the control group who had a successful breastfeeding experience.

Further analysis comparing successful control and experimental subjects to unsuccessful control and experimental subjects showed significant (p 0.01) dissimilarity in the proportion of successful and unsuccessful subjects who reported receiving help from an individual other than the nurse researcher during their early breastfeeding experience. Findings suggested that the impact of the husband's support versus nonsupport of breastfeeding was greater than presence or absence of other support figures.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Clarice J. Woodward

Second Advisor

K. Erville Allen

Third Advisor

Betty T. Lonnstorm

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1979

Date (Title Page)

12-1979

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Breast Feeding

Type

Thesis

Page Count

x; 115

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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