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Infant feeding
How can women be encouraged to start breastfeeding?
The Health Development Agency reviewed the evidence for the effectiveness of public health interventions to promote the initiation of breastfeeding in 2003 (Protheroe, Dyson et al. 2003). They found that:
- There is some evidence that breastfeeding literature alone among the general population is not effective at promoting breastfeeding.
- One-to-one educational programmes were more effective among those who planned to bottlefeed whereas group programmes were more effective among those who planned to breastfeed.
- Breastfeeding promotions delivered in the period both before and after birth were most likely to have a positive effect on breastfeeding. These interventions were intensive, involving multiple contacts with a professional promoter or peer counsellor.
- The appointment of a breastfeeding advisor was found to have no effect on initiation or duration of breastfeeding.
- Peer support programmes as standalone interventions have been shown to be effective in both the antenatal and postnatal periods among women who expressed a wish to breastfeed but not for women who had decided to bottlefeed.
- The training of health professionals as part of a health sector initiative package led to improvements in womens’ knowledge and attitudes about breastfeeding. Small increases in initiation rates were not statistically significant.
- There is limited evidence that intensive lactation training courses for health professionals alone can have an effect on breastfeeding initiation rates.
Protheroe, L., L. Dyson, et al. (2003). The effectiveness of public health interventions to promote the initiation of breastfeeding. Evidence Briefing, Health Development Agency.
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