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 The researchers concluded that breastfeeding support - whether
educational or just encouraging - by trained professionals or lay
people generally benefited women and their babies.
"Breastfeeding is really important," said lead author Alison
McFadden, who directs the Mother and Infant Research Unit at the
University of Dundee in the UK. "Good support will help mothers to
breastfeed longer and breastfeed exclusively, which of course is
good for mothers and babies."
McFadden and her colleagues are part of the international Cochrane
network of researchers who analyze evidence on health topics. Their
new review was published in the Cochrane Library.
The World Health Organization recommends that babies be breastfed
exclusively for the first six months of life and then given breast
milk along with other food until they're two years old.
Babies who are breastfed are less likely to develop infections,
become overweight and develop diabetes, the researchers write.
"For women, it reduces the incidence of breast and ovarian cancer
and diabetes," McFadden told Reuters Health.
For the review, the researchers analyzed 73 studies that compared
women who received breastfeeding support to women who received no
support or a different kind of intervention. Overall, 75,000 women
and their babies were included in the analysis. Most were from high-
to middle-income countries.
Support can come in many forms, the authors say - including
reassurance, praise, information and the opportunities to discuss
problems and ask questions.
Women who received support were about 8 percent less likely to stop
breastfeeding before six months, compared to women who didn't get
the added help.
For every 1,000 women who received the added help, 304 stopped
breastfeeding by four to six weeks and 510 stopped breastfeeding by
six months, whereas for every 1,000 women who didn't receive
support, 353 stopped within four to six weeks and 573 stopped by six
months.
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Also, 732 of every 1,000 women who received supported were no longer
exclusively breastfeeding at six months, while the same was true for
823 of every 1,000 "unsupported" women.
Certain factors may make the support more valuable for mothers and
babies, the researchers found.
For example, it didn't matter whether a healthcare professional or a
trained lay person delivered the support. But, McFadden said, "it
needs to be offered, proactive and scheduled so mothers know when to
expect support."
Additionally, face-to-face contact and support appeared to be better
than help delivered over the phone.
"The people we’re hoping will take note of this are those providing
the breastfeeding support – the health professional and the people
making health policy," said McFadden.
The next step for this type of research would be to make these
support services available to a large number of women.
For new parents and parents-to-be, McFadden said, it's important to
ask their healthcare providers about breastfeeding support programs.
"If that support is not available, seek it out," she said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2m7etKo Cochrane Library, online February 28,
2017.
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