Effectiveness of a pamphlet providing knowledge and information on continuing breastfeeding for mothers returning to work

Abstract

Purpose

A breastfeeding program was developed by the author with the aim of supporting mothers returning to work after childbirth in continuing breastfeeding. The purpose of this study was to describe the development and evaluation of the pamphlets used in the breastfeeding program.

Methods

The primary objective of the pamphlet was to provide knowledge and information to help mothers who return to work within 1 year after giving birth continue breastfeeding. The secondary objective was to promote breastfeeding after returning to work. The main contents of the pamphlet included the effects of breastfeeding, the practice of balancing breastfeeding and work, how to express breastmilk, how to take medications while breastfeeding, weaning, and other information related to the continuation of breastfeeding. The main features of the pamphlet include its incorporation of the experiences and ingenuity of women who had continued breastfeeding after returning to work, and the depiction of their daily cycle after returning to work and how to continue breastfeeding. Participants were women in a program group (n=48) and a pamphlet group (n=46) among three groups of women included in a previous study who planned to return to work within 4-12 months after giving birth. In the pamphlet group, only the pamphlet was provided by mail. In the program group, the same text as in the pamphlet was used in the breastfeeding class. Comprehension, expectation agreement, utilization, and satisfaction were evaluated on a five-point scale. The two highest scores on the five-point scale were considered to indicate a “high” score, while the three lowest scores were considered to indicate a “low” score, and a chi-square analysis was performed to compare the rates of high and low scores between both groups. In the pamphlet group, the rates of high and low scores and the breastfeeding continuation rate at 3 months after returning to work were compared using the χ² test. The study took place from February 2017 to August 2018 and was conducted with the approval of the research ethics committee of the university to which the author belongs.

Results

The degree of comprehension of the pamphlets exceeded 90% in both groups. The degree of expectation agreement, utilization, and satisfaction were significantly lower in the pamphlet group than in the program group. Those who had high expectation agreement, utilization, and satisfaction in the pamphlet group had a high breastfeeding continuation rate at 3 months after returning to work.

Conclusion

The degree of comprehension of the pamphlet was high, demonstrating that it is a tool that can be used to provide knowledge and information. These results suggest that improving the pamphlet for mothers returning to work could contribute to the continuation of breastfeeding.