Breast feeding support from volunteer counsellors does not increase rates of breast feeding - 24/08/11

Doi : 10.1016/j.ehbc.2004.05.012

Amal K Mitra, MD,MPH,DrPH : Commentary Author
Department of Community Health Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5122, USA

Abstract

Question

Does breast feeding support from volunteer counsellors increase the number of women who breast feed?

Study design

Randomised controlled trial.

Main results

At both 6 weeks and 4 months, there was no significant difference in rates of breast feeding between women receiving breast feeding counselling and those that did not (see Table 1).

Table 1 Number of women breast feeding (%)
	With breast feeding counselling (N=363)	Without counselling (N=357)	RR (95% CI)	p value
Breast feeding at birth	320 (95%)	324 (96%)	0.99 (0.84 to 1.16)	0.44
Breast feeding at 6 weeks	218 (65%)	213 (63%)	1.02 (0.84 to 1.24)	0.69
Breast feeding at 4 months	143/310 (46%)	131/310 (42%)	1.09 (0.86 to 1.39)	0.33
Only 310/363 (85%) women in the intervention group and 310/357 (87%) in the control group responded at 4 months. Analysis was not by intention to treat.

Authors’ conclusions

Breast feeding support by volunteer counsellors did not increase breast feeding rates.

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Keywords : Postnatal care, Breast feeding, Counselling, Social support, Randomised controlled trial

Plan

Commentary

Implications

Study parameters

Abstracted from: Graffy J, Taylor J, Williams A et al. Randomised controlled trial of support from volunteer counsellors for mothers considering breast feeding. BMJ 2004; 328: 26–29.