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20040422-59# Midwives' knowledge of newborn
feeding ability and reported practice managing the first
breastfeed - Breastfeeding Review , vol 12, no 1, March 2004, pp
25-33 Cantrill R; Creedy D; Cooke
M - (2004) |
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Continuous uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact is
known to facilitate newborn transition to extrauterine life, the ability
to actively find the nipple and establishment of effective breastfeeding
but is not promoted consistently in practice. The Newborn Feeding Ability
Questionnaire (NFAQ) was developed to measure midwives' knowledge and
practice in supporting the first breastfeed. The NFAQ was administered to
3 500 midwives in Australia through a mailed survey. A response rate of
31.6% (n = 1 105) was achieved and the sample was representative of the
national midwifery population for age, sex, education and experience. Mean
total score for knowledge was 85.94 (range 40-110 out of 110, SD = 10.55)
and mean practice score was 95.89 (range 57-117 out of 120, SD = 9.19).
Knowledge of newborn feeding ability was consistently associated with best
practice in managing the first breastfeed. Almost all midwives reported
that skin-to-skin contact for newborn infants immediately after birth was
important, but few understood the significance of `continuous
uninterrupted' skin-to-skin contact to facilitate correct attachment and
effective suckling. One-third reported separating mother and baby for
routine interventions before allowing the opportunity to demonstrate
pre-feeding behavior or actually breastfeed. Although midwives attempt to
ensure the first breastfeed is facilitated soon after birth, the practice
of continuous uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact seems poorly understood
and not uniformly practised. Further research is needed to investigate how
midwives teach mothers' positioning and attachment for the first
breastfeed. Education of midwives so they can optimally facilitate the
first breastfeed is required to improve breastfeeding initiation rates.
(94 references) (Author) |
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