Inclusion of Fathers in an Intervention to Promote Breastfeeding: Impact on Breastfeeding Rates

Abstract

This controlled clinical trial, conducted in southern Brazil, assessed the impact of paternal inclusion in a breastfeeding education program carried out in a maternity hospital. Rates of breastfeeding in the first 6 months of babies' lives were measured in 586 families: 201 in the control group, 192 in the group with only mothers exposed to the intervention, and 193 in the group with mothers and fathers exposed to the intervention. Paternal inclusion significantly increased the rates of exclusive breastfeeding but not the rates of any breastfeeding. Intervention with fathers with less than 8 years of schooling resulted in a decrease in the rate of breastfeeding when compared with the intervention with mothers only. The likelihood of success might have been greater if the cultural and behavioral complexities associated with this practice had received more attention. J Hum Lact. 24(4):386-392.

Este estudio clínico controlado, llevado a cabo en el sur de Brasil, evaluó el impacto de incluir al padre en el programa de educación sobre lactancia en el servicio de maternidad en el hospital. Se midieron los índices de lactancia materna en los primeros seis meses en 586 familias; 201 en el grupo control, 192 en el grupo de solo madres expuestas a la intervención, y 193 en el grupo de madres y padres expuestos a la intervención. La inclusión paterna aumento significativamente los índices de lactancia materna exclusiva pero no los índices de cualquier tipo de lactancia. La intervención con padres con menos de 8 años de escolaridad resultó en la disminución de los índices de lactancia cuando se compararon con el grupo de intervención de madres solamente. La probabilidad de éxito pudo haber sido mayor si se hubiera tenido en cuenta la asociación de la complejidad cultural y de comportamiento.

Keywords

breastfeeding breastfeeding rates breastfeeding promotion education fathers

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