Support package for breastfeeding effective

Research has shown that breastfeeding has positive long-term effects for both babies and mothers. The World Health Organization recommends that all infants should be exclusively breastfeed for six months or longer, and advises to continue breastfeeding in addition to other nutrition. Many mothers experience problems with breastfeeding and stop breastfeeding sooner than they would like. These mothers benefit from professional support, conclude Sjoukje van Dellen and fellow researchers from the Psychology department.

In the study by Van Dellen and colleagues, a group of women received structural, long-term support from a lactation consultant in the form of a Breastfeeding Support Programme (BSP). The women received a total of 6 consultations, from pregnancy to 10 weeks after birth. Mothers who received the Breastfeeding Support Programme were on average 66% less likely to stop breastfeeding compared to mothers who did not receive supervision. The researchers conclude that structural, long-term counseling can help mothers with continuing breastfeeding.

Read more about the study in the now published article.