Effects of the implementation of a breastfeeding best practice guideline in a Canadian public health agency.
Several strategies were used to implement a breastfeeding best practice guideline (BPG) in a Canadian public health agency. Nurses surveyed before and 1 year after implementation reported increased BPG-related knowledge and stronger beliefs regarding breastfeeding duration beyond 1 year. Telephone surveys also were conducted with mothers; 90 before BPG implementation and another cohort of 141 mothers following implementation. Post-implementation mothers were more knowledgeable about sources of breastfeeding help, obtained more help from public health nurses, and reported more breastfeeding-related discussion with healthcare providers. Compared to the pre-implementation cohort, mothers in the post-implementation cohort who were still breastfeeding at 6 months intended to continue breastfeeding longer. Implementing a breastfeeding BPG can affect breastfeeding-related experiences at a population level.
Department of Nursing, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Lynn A
LA
Rempel
Lynn
L
McCleary
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods