Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Background: Studies have identified numerous factors affecting breastfeeding initiation and duration, including maternal education, mode of delivery, birth weight, socioeconomic status, and support of the infant’s father. Objective: The objective was to investigate the effects of an antenatal educat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Sage Science Press
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22637 |
| _version_ | 1848750925393428480 |
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| author | Maycock, Bruce Binns, Colin Dhaliwal, Satvinder Tohotoa, Jennifer Hauck, Yvonne Burns, Sharyn Howat, Peter |
| author_facet | Maycock, Bruce Binns, Colin Dhaliwal, Satvinder Tohotoa, Jennifer Hauck, Yvonne Burns, Sharyn Howat, Peter |
| author_sort | Maycock, Bruce |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Studies have identified numerous factors affecting breastfeeding initiation and duration, including maternal education, mode of delivery, birth weight, socioeconomic status, and support of the infant’s father. Objective: The objective was to investigate the effects of an antenatal education session and postnatal support targeted to fathers. Methods: The Fathers Infant Feeding Initiative (FIFI Study) is a randomized controlled trial to increase the initiation and duration of breastfeeding that was conducted in 8 public maternity hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. A total of 699couples were randomized within hospitals to either intervention or control groups. The intervention consisted of a 2-hourantenatal education session and postnatal support provided to fathers. Results: The any breastfeeding rate for the intervention group was significantly greater at 6 weeks: 81.6% in the intervention group compared to 75.2% in the control group, odds ratio 1.46 (95% CI, 1.01-2.13). After adjustment for age and hospital, the odds ratio for any breastfeeding in the intervention group was 1.58 (1.06-2.35) and for socioeconomic status (SES), 1.56(1.06-2.30). The infants of older fathers were more likely to be breastfed at 6 weeks compared to infants of younger fathers(P < .01), and infants of fathers with high SES more likely than infants of fathers with low SES (P = .013).Conclusion: Even a small increase in breastfeeding rates brings public health benefits. In this study, a minimal intervention was found to significantly increase any breastfeeding at 6 weeks: 81.6% in the intervention group compared to 75.2% in the control group. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:44:34Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-22637 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:44:34Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Sage Science Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-226372017-09-13T13:56:22Z Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial Maycock, Bruce Binns, Colin Dhaliwal, Satvinder Tohotoa, Jennifer Hauck, Yvonne Burns, Sharyn Howat, Peter breastfeeding duration randomized controlled trial fathers education Background: Studies have identified numerous factors affecting breastfeeding initiation and duration, including maternal education, mode of delivery, birth weight, socioeconomic status, and support of the infant’s father. Objective: The objective was to investigate the effects of an antenatal education session and postnatal support targeted to fathers. Methods: The Fathers Infant Feeding Initiative (FIFI Study) is a randomized controlled trial to increase the initiation and duration of breastfeeding that was conducted in 8 public maternity hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. A total of 699couples were randomized within hospitals to either intervention or control groups. The intervention consisted of a 2-hourantenatal education session and postnatal support provided to fathers. Results: The any breastfeeding rate for the intervention group was significantly greater at 6 weeks: 81.6% in the intervention group compared to 75.2% in the control group, odds ratio 1.46 (95% CI, 1.01-2.13). After adjustment for age and hospital, the odds ratio for any breastfeeding in the intervention group was 1.58 (1.06-2.35) and for socioeconomic status (SES), 1.56(1.06-2.30). The infants of older fathers were more likely to be breastfed at 6 weeks compared to infants of younger fathers(P < .01), and infants of fathers with high SES more likely than infants of fathers with low SES (P = .013).Conclusion: Even a small increase in breastfeeding rates brings public health benefits. In this study, a minimal intervention was found to significantly increase any breastfeeding at 6 weeks: 81.6% in the intervention group compared to 75.2% in the control group. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22637 10.1177/0890334413484387 Sage Science Press restricted |
| spellingShingle | breastfeeding duration randomized controlled trial fathers education Maycock, Bruce Binns, Colin Dhaliwal, Satvinder Tohotoa, Jennifer Hauck, Yvonne Burns, Sharyn Howat, Peter Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title | Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Education and Support for Fathers Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | education and support for fathers improves breastfeeding rates: a randomised controlled trial |
| topic | breastfeeding duration randomized controlled trial fathers education |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22637 |