Introduction
Breastfeeding is essential for ensuring positive health outcomes in newborns and infants. However, not all mothers are capable of breastfeeding a newborn for a period prescribed by their health provider. Many women consider early termination is unwanted, and they wish they could find ways to recommence breastfeeding. Those women would benefit significantly from gaining more information on techniques and adjustments, prompt advice, and psychological support. This paper will discuss how the issue of premature breastfeeding termination can be tackled with the help of nurses and provide relevant studies on the advantages of counseling. The essay also contains three questions structured according to the PICOT method.
The Relevancy of the Issue for Nursing Practice
Nowadays, nurses play a variety of roles as the field grows more complex and diverse. It suffices no more for a nurse to only follow a doctor’s prescriptions and conduct necessary procedures. Practitioners in the nursing field have become agents of health promotion: it is now their professional and moral duty to provide patients with the requested information and answer all their questions. Admittedly, if a nurse handles postpartum women in his or her daily practice, it is imperative that he or she possesses scientific and technical knowledge of the challenges and particularities of breastfeeding.
For instance, a nurse can explain to a breastfeeding mother what a proper hold and position would be so that both the infant and the woman feel comfortable. On top of that, a nurse should use his or her communication skills to console a woman in visible distress. Moreover, some social groups are especially susceptible to early termination – overweight women or women after Cesarean section. When done correctly, counseling will help to prolong breastfeeding and result in better health outcomes in babies.
A Literature Overview
There have been a number of studies whose findings revealed a positive association between counseling and breastfeeding success. In their cross-sectional study with a sample of 3,840 respondents, Oakley, Henderson, Redshaw, and Quigley (2014) found that ongoing support decreased the odds of premature termination in postpartum women. Nabulsi et al. (2014) compared the outcomes in control and intervention groups at one, three, and six months after birth. The authors discovered that the women in the intervention group, who received phone counseling as opposed to their peers who only received standard care, were more satisfied with breastfeeding experiences. It is argued that breastfeeding counseling needs more promotion, and more research would be of great help.
PICOT Questions
Based on the conducted research, the three following questions on the topic are possible:
- (P) In postpartum women, would (I) breastfeeding counseling (C) as opposed to women receiving no counseling (O) positively impact the likelihood of breastfeeding success (T) at ten weeks postpartum?
- (P) In postpartum women, would (I) counseling appointments in person, (C) compared to phone counseling, (O) lead to more satisfaction with breastfeeding experiences (T) at ten weeks postpartum?
- (P) In overweight women, would (I) counseling (C), compared to women receiving no counseling, (O) ensure breastfeeding success (T) at ten weeks postpartum?
Conclusion
There have been numerous studies capitalizing health benefits of prolonged breastfeeding, be it reducing the risk of infections or causing fewer digestion issues. A nurse may help a breastfeeding mother by assuming the role of a counselor and providing ongoing support if a woman encounters difficulties. Timely intervention and understanding of a postpartum woman’s struggles would result in more satisfying experiences and better health outcomes. To aid the promotion of breastfeeding counseling, there should be more research establishing a positive association between postpartum support and breastfeeding success. Researchers can compare the effectiveness of meetings in-person to that of phone calls and study the impact of counseling on overweight women.
References
Nabulsi, M., Hamadeh, H., Tamim, H., Kabakian, T., Charafeddine, L., Yehya, N., … Sidani, S. (2014). A complex breastfeeding promotion and support intervention in a developing country: Study protocol for a randomized clinical trial. BMC Public Health, 14(36), 1-11.
Oakley, L. L., Henderson, J., Redshaw, M., & Quigley, M. A. (2014). The role of support and other factors in early breastfeeding cessation: An analysis of data from a maternity survey in England. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 14, 88. Web.