title: Postnatal Lactational Counseling and Neonatal Weight Pattern.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the impact of postnatal lactational counseling on the weight gain and frequency of mixed feeding in full term neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mother-infant pairs were observed in the maternity section of a multispecialty general hospital in Mumbai during two time periods.
  
  
  METHODS
  260 mothers who delivered a full term, healthy, appropriate for gestational age neonate with birth weight >2.2 kg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 18 November, 2007 and 4 March, 2008, 126 mothers received unstructured verbal encouragement to maintain breastfeeding from the maternity staff. From 1 June, 2008 to 16 December, 2008, 134 mothers were counseled about breastfeeding by the pediatric residents and nurses with the help of charts, literature and verbal advice. They were supervised and helped during the first feed and subsequently until discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weight gain (g/kg/day) of neonate at 28 days of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) weight gain was significantly higher in the counseled group in comparison to historical control group [9.2 (4.5) g/kg/d vs. 7.9 (5.1) g/kg/d; P=0.03]. Mixed feeding occurred less frequently in [RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.13, 0.98; P=0.046] the counseled group (5/134) as compared to control group (13/126).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postnatal lactational counseling leads to higher weight gain, and lesser chances of mixed feeding in the neonatal period.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neonatology, Holy Spirit Hospital; and *Surya Childrens Hospital, Mumbai, India. Correspondence to: Dr Noella Maria D Pereira, Torrefiel, 127, Carter Road, Opp. Joggers Park, Bandra West, Mumbai 400 050, India. noella_pereira@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Noella M D
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Rahul J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Nandkishor S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Kabra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D009035:Mothers; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult