[Effect of postpartum breast-feeding support by nurse on the breast-feeding prevalence].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the professional nurse's postpartum breast-feeding support on breast-feeding prevalence for mothers who delivered in Baby-Friendly Hospitals (BFH).


METHODS
This quasi experimental study was designed with a nonequivalent control group post test. The subjects of this study were 55 mothers who were hospitalized in the delivery room of a university hospital which was selected as a BFH in Daegu from October 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. Twenty nine mothers were assigned to the experimental group and 26 mothers to the control group. Postpartum breast-feeding support by nurses' telephone calls to the experimental group was provided once a week for 4 weeks postpartum and then once a month for 16 weeks postpartum. Four post tests were given at postpartum week 4, 8, 12, and 16. The control group was given a telephone call at postpartum week 4, 8, 12, and 16.


RESULTS
The breastfeeding prevalence of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group for each period.


CONCLUSIONS
Postpartum breast-feeding support by nurses may be a useful intervention to increase breast-feeding prevalence.
Jang
Gun Ja
GJ
Department of Nursing, Daegu Polytechnic College, Suseong-gu, Daegu, Korea. kjjang14@tpic.ac.kr
Kim
Sun Hee
SH
Jeong
Kyung Soon
KS
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing; D009742:Nursing Theory; D011181:Postnatal Care; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult