scholarly journals From Dyad to Triad: a Survey on Fathers’ Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Breastfeeding

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Letizia Crippa ◽  
Alessandra Consales ◽  
Daniela Morniroli ◽  
Flavia Lunetto ◽  
Maria Enrica Bettinelli ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Maternal social support has a critical impact on breastfeeding outcomes. Fathers in particular are known to be especially influential. However, little is known about what they know and how they feel about breastfeeding. We aimed to explore paternal knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding and possible association with breastfeeding rates at discharge. Methods We enrolled fathers of healthy term neonates born at our hospital from March to May 2019. At discharge, a self-administered structured questionnaire was proposed to fathers. Fathers were required to rate their degree of agreement to 12 items on a 5-point Likert scale. A total score was obtained from their answers. Subjects’ basic characteristics and mode of feeding at discharge were collected. Results Fathers showed a generally solid knowledge of maternal (87%) and neonatal (98%) benefits of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact (99.5%), rooming-in practice (79%) and responsive feeding (67.5%); conversely, only 51% of them knew about the recommended use of pacifiers. Fathers felt personally involved in their babies’ feeding in 79% of cases, regardless of type of feeding. A positive correlation was found between total score and exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge (p = 0.04, OR 1.07; 95%C.I 1.002–1.152). ROC analysis showed a trend toward statistical significance (AUC 0.58, p = 0.083, 95%C.I 0.485–0.683). Conclusions This study underlines the importance of including fathers in the promotion of breastfeeding, expanding the classic mother-baby dyad to a more modern mother-father-baby triad. This may ultimately impact breastfeeding outcomes, although further studies are needed to confirm our results.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Letizia Crippa ◽  
Alessandra Consales ◽  
Daniela Morniroli ◽  
Flavia Lunetto ◽  
Maria Enrica Bettinelli ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Maternal social support has a critical impact on breastfeeding outcomes. Fathers, in particular, are known to be especially influential. We aimed to explore paternal knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding, and possible association with breastfeeding rates at discharge, in a cohort of fathers from an Italian tertiary referral center for neonatal care.Methods In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled fathers of healthy term neonates born at our hospital from March to May 2019. At discharge, a self-administered structured questionnaire was proposed to fathers. Fathers were required to rate their degree of agreement to 12 items on a 5-point Likert scale. A total score was obtained from their answers. A higher score was indicative of a greater knowledge/positive attitude toward breastfeeding. Subjects’ basic characteristics and mode of feeding at discharge were collected.Results Fathers showed a generally solid knowledge of maternal (87%) and neonatal (98%) benefits of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin (99.5%), rooming-in (79%), and responsive feeding (67.5%); conversely, only 51% knew about the recommended use of pacifiers. Fathers felt personally involved in their babies' feeding in 79% of cases, regardless of the type of feeding. A positive association was found between total score and exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge (p = 0.04, OR 1.07; 95% C.I 1.002-1.152). Conclusions This study underlines the importance of including fathers in the promotion of breastfeeding, expanding the classic mother-baby dyad to a more modern mother-father-baby triad. This aspect may ultimately impact breastfeeding outcomes, although further studies are needed to confirm our results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
POURABOLI BATOOL ◽  
ESTABRAGHI MAHDIEH ◽  
JAHANI YOUNES ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcie Richardson

Breastfeeding is endorsed by the medical community as the optimal nutrition for infants during the first 6-12 months of life.1,2,3  Breastfeeding rates in the US and worldwide have varied over time and still vary geographically.4 There is robust literature addressing the physiology of lactation, composition of breast milk, and health advantages of breastfeeding for both the mother and infant as well as strategies for clinicians to promote and support breastfeeding. This chapter reviews breastfeeding history, how milk is made, why breastfeeding matters, and the somewhat controversial the World Health Organization’s Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)5 for successful initiation of lactation as well as some special situations.    Key words:  breastfeeding, infant nutrition, human milk composition, breastfeeding advantages, lactation, lactation support, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, skin to skin contact


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcie Richardson

Breastfeeding is endorsed by the medical community as the optimal nutrition for infants during the first 6-12 months of life.1,2,3  Breastfeeding rates in the US and worldwide have varied over time and still vary geographically.4 There is robust literature addressing the physiology of lactation, composition of breast milk, and health advantages of breastfeeding for both the mother and infant as well as strategies for clinicians to promote and support breastfeeding. This chapter reviews breastfeeding history, how milk is made, why breastfeeding matters, and the somewhat controversial the World Health Organization’s Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)5 for successful initiation of lactation as well as some special situations.    Key words:  breastfeeding, infant nutrition, human milk composition, breastfeeding advantages, lactation, lactation support, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, skin to skin contact


2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Okan ◽  
A. Ozdil ◽  
A. Bulbul ◽  
Z. Yapici ◽  
A. Nuhoglu

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Guala ◽  
Luigina Boscardini ◽  
Raffaella Visentin ◽  
Paola Angellotti ◽  
Laura Grugni ◽  
...  

Early skin-to-skin contact (SSC) after birth is a physiological practice that is internationally recommended and has well-documented importance for the baby and for the mother. This study aims to examine SSC with a cohort of mothers or fathers in the operating room after a Cesarean section (C-section) and its relationship with duration of breastfeeding. From January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012, at the Castelli Hospital in Verbania, Italy, a Baby Friendly designated hospital, 252 consecutive women who had a C-section were enrolled in the study and followed for 6 months. The sample was later divided into three groups depending on the real outcomes in the operating room: SSC with the mother (57.5%), SSC with the father (17.5%), and no SSC (25%). Our study showed a statistical association between skin-to-skin contact with the mother and the exclusive breastfeeding rates on discharge. This effect is maintained and statistically significant at three and six months, as compared to the groups that had paternal SSC or no SSC. After a C-section, skin-to-skin contact with the mother can be an important practice for support, promotion, and duration of breastfeeding.


Author(s):  
Beatrice Letizia Crippa ◽  
Alessandra Consales ◽  
Daniela Morniroli ◽  
Flavia Lunetto ◽  
Maria Enrica Bettinelli ◽  
...  

AbstractFathers are known to impact breastfeeding outcomes. We aimed to explore paternal knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding, and possible association with breastfeeding rates at discharge. In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 200 fathers of healthy term neonates. At discharge, fathers were asked to rate their degree of agreement to 12 items on a 5-point Likert scale. A total score was obtained from their answers. Univariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to verify if the total score was predictive of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge. A multivariable logistic regression model was then used to adjust for possible confounders. ROC analysis was performed, and a Youden’s total score cut-off value was determined to define total score’s performance in predicting exclusive breastfeeding at discharge. Fathers showed a solid knowledge of maternal (87%) and neonatal (98%) benefits of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin (99.5%), rooming-in (79%), and responsive feeding (67.5%); conversely, only 51% knew about the recommended use of pacifiers. Fathers felt personally involved in babies’ feeding in 79% of cases. An association was found between total score and exclusive breastfeeding at discharge at univariate (OR: 1.07, p = 0.04) but not at multivariable analysis (OR: 1.07, p = 0.067). ROC analysis was not statistically significant (AUC 0.58, p = 0.083).Conclusion: By using a novel instrument aimed at quantifying fathers’ knowledge and overall attitude toward breastfeeding, this study underlines the importance of including fathers in the promotion of breastfeeding. Expanding the classic mother-baby dyad to a more modern mother-father-baby triad may impact breastfeeding outcomes at discharge. What is known:• Social support plays a major role in improving breastfeeding outcomes.• Fathers may greatly influence initiation and duration of breastfeeding; the more they know, the more helpful they can be.What is new:• A multidisciplinary team created a structured questionnaire aimed at quantifying fathers’ knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding.• The association between a higher questionnaire total score and exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge highlights the importance of including fathers in the promotion of breastfeeding, as part of the breastfeeding team.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Ekholuenetale ◽  
Amadou Barrow ◽  
Faith Owunari Benebo ◽  
Ashibudike Francis Idebolo

Abstract Background Mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is an immediate postpartum intervention known to improve the health of newborn and mothers alike. Albeit, there is paucity of data that explored the coverage or factors associated with SSC in Nigeria. Therefore, we aimed to explore the coverage and hierarchical nature of the factors associated with SSC among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Methods The 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data was used for this study. Data on 29,992 women who had ever given birth were extracted for analysis. SSC was the outcome variable as determined by women’s report. A multivariable multilevel logistic regression model was used to estimate the fixed and random effects of the factors associated with SSC. Statistical significance was determined at p< 0.05. Results The coverage of SSC was approximately 12.0%. Educated women had higher odds of SSC, when compared with women with no formal education. Those who delivered through caesarean section (CS) had 88% reduction in SSC, when compared with women who had vaginal delivery (OR= 0.12; 95%CI: 0.07, 0.22). Women who delivered at health facility were 15.58 times as likely to practice SSC, when compared with those who delivered at home (OR= 15.58; 95%CI: 10.64, 22.82). Adequate ANC visits and low birth weight significantly increased the odds of SSC. Women from richest household were 1.70 times as likely to practice SSC, when compared with women from poorest household (OR= 1.70; 95%CI: 1.04, 2.79). There was 65% reduction in SSC among women with high rate of community non-use of media, when compared with women from low rate of community non-use of media (OR= 0.35; 95%CI: 0.20, 0.61). Conclusion SSC coverage was low in Nigeria. Moreover, individual, household and community level factors were associated with SSC. More enlightenment should be created among women to bring to limelight the importance of SSC specifically to newborn’s health.


Author(s):  
Pamela S. Mellin ◽  
Donna T. Poplawski ◽  
Nancy DeFreest ◽  
Kathy Massler ◽  
Amy Gole

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