Rooming-in improves breastfeeding initiation rates in a community hospital in Puerto Rico.
Several studies have shown that rooming-in can have a positive impact on lactation success. The objective of this study was to assess if the establishment of rooming-in in a community hospital has an impact on breastfeeding success.


METHODS
Participants included volunteer women who delivered babies at a community hospital. The participants answered a survey.


RESULTS
Sixty females were included. The mean age was 23 years (18-38) and the mean gestational age 38 weeks (34-41). Breastfeeding in the hospital was reported by 54% with 6% doing it exclusively. Rooming-in was practiced by 70%. Rooming-in was associated to breastfeeding (OR 5.0, 95% CI 1.5-16.9, p = 0.0069). Thirty-percent of the babies in rooming-in started breastfeeding during the first 6 hours after delivery as compared to none of those not roomed-in.


CONCLUSIONS
The advantages offered by the rooming-in practice in the maternity ward of this hospital resulted in successful breastfeeding in this group of mothers.
Cotto
Carmen W
CW
Department of General Pediatrics, UPR School of Medicine, PR 00936-506.
Garcia Fragoso
Lourdes
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012386:Rooming-in Care; D055815:Young Adult