Evaluating the effect of the initiative 'Caring for the Newborn and the Mother at Home' in Mexico

Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Clinical Protocol #19: Breastfeeding Promotion in the Prenatal Period (Revised 2024)

Background: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine revised the 2015 version of this clinical protocol to review the evidence and provide recommendations related to breastfeeding promotion in the prenatal period. Key Information: Promoting and normalizing breastfeeding in the prenatal period can improve breastfeeding outcomes including initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Ideally, prenatal interventions should be a part of a comprehensive longitudinal breastfeeding support program. Recommendations: Clinicians or other health workers should discuss breastfeeding at each prenatal visit. Counseling topics should include the health benefits of breastfeeding versus not breastfeeding, the basics of breastfeeding (e.g., physiology, positioning), what to expect of hospital-based and immediate postpartum breastfeeding support (i.e., Baby-Friendly Ten Steps), and the risks of unnecessary supplementation. Medical, anatomical, and other risk factors for breastfeeding challenges should be identified, and targeted anticipatory guidance should be given. Prenatal counseling should include distribution of structured breastfeeding education at low literacy levels and in the parent's preferred language. Counseling should be culturally sensitive and patient-centered, including family members when appropriate. Prenatal support may integrate various health workers (e.g., medical doctors, midwives, community health workers, lactation consultants, among others) and include various modalities including telecommunication. Enhancing breastfeeding education for prenatal care providers is also imperative. Additional themes related to implementation of recommendations for specific populations are also reviewed.

Effect of Counseling Service on Breastfeeding Practice among Saudi Mothers

Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of breastfeeding and the effects of lactation counseling, as a health promotion intervention, on breastfeeding duration and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among Saudi women. Methods: In this quasi-experimental design study, 664 mothers attending a women’s hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 were interviewed. Women were allocated into two groups, control and intervention groups, based on received lactation counseling. Interviews were performed using a structured questionnaire collecting data on the sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practice of breastfeeding mothers. A chi-squared test was used to determine the level of significance on breastfeeding practices among two groups. Propensity score matching was presented to control confounders, as women cannot be randomly assigned to lactation counseling. Results: Of 664 women, 592 were Saudi nationals, and the majority of mothers were literate (96.2%). A significantly higher number of mothers in the consultation group were employed as compared with the non-consultation group (p = 0.015). One third (33.3%) of the women practiced EBF, while 39.8% preferred mixed feeding for the first six months of the infant’s life. The consultation group demonstrated a significantly higher response rate in their knowledge on the benefits of breastfeeding in babies (increased intelligence; p < 0.05) and mothers (breast engorgement; p = 0.004), colostrum and its importance (p = 0.027) and effective breastfeeding practices (initiate breastfeeding within 30 min after birth (p = 0.01), baby needs 10–20 min between each feed (p = 0.009), breastfeeding should last for 6 months (p = 0.01)) compared with the non-consultation group. The age of weaning (5.3 ± 2.8 vs. 5.9 ± 3.2 months) was similar across both the groups. However, “the intended duration of BF” was higher in the non-consultation group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.002). The mean weight and length of the baby at follow-up were similar in both groups, with no statistical significance. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding among two groups was not statistically significantly different (8.7 ± 6.9 vs. 8.1 ± 7.1 weeks). Mothers in the two groups were satisfied with their breastfeeding experience. The mean scores lie within the range of 4.2 to 5.0. Baby age (month), mother LoE, mother job and type of BF were controlled for, and the propensity-score-matched 62.5% sample from both the groups yielded the same results. Conclusions: Breastfeeding women in our study showed a fair knowledge of EBF. However, the duration of actual EBF was very short, and the counseling intervention showed no impact on EBF in our study population. We recommend interventions that are tailored to the needs of this population, while identifying factors that improve breastfeeding practice among mothers.

The impact of Timothy's Law on hospitalization among patients with mental health conditions in New York State

Background

Timothy's law to reduce mental health care disparities was enacted in January 2007 in New York state (NY). According to Timothy's law, "if a patient is suffering from a Biologically Based Mental Illness, or is a Child with Serious Emotional Disturbances, the Inpatient mental health benefit will be the same as for any other illness". An assessment of its impact on inpatient mental health care is lacking. We provide a rigorous study of this policy intervention’s effect over the first year of its implementation.

Methods

We used a quasi-experimental design to combine the difference-in-difference method and propensity score weighting. Data are from inpatient records in NY and California (CA) (as a control) between January 2006 to December 2006 (the pre-enactment year in NY) and January to December 2007 (the enactment year) for non-Medicare/Medicaid patients hospitalized in both years with specific illnesses covered by Timothy's Law. Change in length of stay from 2006 to 2007 was measured for each patient, and the differences observed in NY and California were compared to each other (Difference-in-Difference), with differences in the characteristics of patients in NY and California addressed through Propensity Score Weighting (PSW).

Results

Before Timothy's Law was enacted (2006), length of stay (LOS) in NY was 16.3 days on average, and length of stay per hospitalization (LOSPH) was 11.72 days on average for the 1237 patients under study in 2006. In 2007, LOS increased by 4.91 days in NY (95% CI (2.89, 7.01)) compared with similar patients in California, and LOSPH by 3.25 days (95% CI (1.96, 4.57)). Among patients with serious mental illness diagnoses, LOS in NY increased by 7.07 days (95% CI (4.15, 10.17)), and LOSPH by 4.04 days (95% CI (1.93, 6.03)) compared to California.

Conclusions

Our study strongly suggests that, within the time frame of just a single year, Timothy's Law significantly increased inpatient mental healthcare utilization in NY. Our study raises the possibility that similar laws in other locations could have similar effects.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13033-022-00535-w.

Construção e validação de um vídeo educativo sobre o banho de imersão do recém-nascido

RESUMO Objetivo Construir e validar um vídeo educativo sobre o banho de imersão do recém-nascido. Método Pesquisa metodológica, de produção tecnológica, desenvolvida nas fases: pré-produção, produção e pós-produção no período de dezembro de 2020 a fevereiro de 2022, validado por enfermeiros doutores,profissionais da área da comunicação social, equipe de enfermagem, puérperas e familiares. Utilizou-se o Índice de Validade de Conteúdo para avaliar concordância entre juízes e público-alvo e Alfa de Cronbrach a confiabilidade dos itens. Resultados O vídeo tem oito minutos e 34 segundos e foi organizado emantes, durante e após o banho. Roteiro/script e storyboard avaliados quanto ao objetivo, conteúdo, relevância, ambiente, linguagem verbal e inclusão de tópicos e vídeo quanto a funcionalidade, usabilidade, eficiência, técnica audiovisual, ambiente e procedimento, todos alcançaram índices iguais ou maiores a 0,80. Conclusão O vídeo apresenta potencial tecnológico para ser utilizado durante ações de educação emsaúde e práticas de educação permanente.

Construction and validation of an educational video on the newborn immersion bath

ABSTRACT Objective To build and validate an educational video about the immersion bath of the newborn. Method Methodological research, of technological production, developed in the phases: pre-production, production and post-production in the period from December 2020 to February 2022, validated by nurse practitioners, professionals in the area of social communication, nursing team, puerperal women and family members. The Content Validity Index was used to assess consistency and Cronbrach's Alpha reliability. Results The video is eight minutes and 34 seconds long and was organized into before, during and after the shower. The script/script and storyboard were evaluated regarding the objective, content, relevance, environment, verbal language and inclusion of topics and the video regarding functionality, usability, efficiency, audiovisual technique, environment and procedure, all of which achieved indices equal to or greater than 0,80. Conclusion The video has technological potential to be used during health education actions and in continuing education practices.

Breastfeeding practices in Mexico: Results from the National Demographic Dynamic Survey 2006-2018

Although actions have been taken to improve breastfeeding in Mexico, trends over the last decade and their associated factors have not been analysed. We estimated trends in breastfeeding practices at the national, rural/urban, and regional level indigenous ethnicity and socio-economic level, and their associated factors using the National Demographic Dynamics Survey (2006, 2009, 2014 and 2018). We assessed breastfeeding indicators of women with children <24 months according to The World Health Organization recommendations. Logistic regressions models of pooled data were used to estimate trends and associations with biological and sociodemographic characteristics. Between 2006 and 2018, the prevalence of ever breastfed increased from 91.8% to 94.2% (p < 0.001), whereas early initiation of breastfeeding increased from 40.8% to 59.7% (p < 0.001), with similar increments by urban/rural level. Between 2009 and 2018, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in children <6 months increased from 13.0% to 20.7% (p < 0.001). The largest increase was seen in Mexico City, in nonindigenous women and those with a high socio-economic status, whereas indigenous women and those from the South had the lowest or no improvements. Breastfeeding education during pregnancy [odds ratio (OR) 1.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.5] was positively associated with exclusive breastfeeding, whereas being employed (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.6-0.9) was negatively associated. Breastfeeding practices improved but are still far from recommendations. Implementing strategies like breastfeeding counselling and programmes and policies that promote and support breastfeeding for poor, indigenous, single and working mothers should be a priority for the government to ensure that all children have the best start in life.