J Hum Lact. 2026 Aug 12:8903344261470803. doi: 10.1177/08903344261470803. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mothers of late preterm infants need support with breastfeeding.
AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Telephone Breastfeeding Support (delivered via telephone calls and WhatsApp messages) given to mothers of late preterm infants discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on breastfeeding outcomes.
METHODS: The study was a single-blind, pretest-posttest, randomized, parallel two-group, controlled experimental study. The study involved 62 mothers in a NICU from August 2021 to August 2022. After all late preterm infants participating in the study completed their routine discharge procedures, pre-intervention data were collected from their mothers, and a breastfeeding guide was sent to their phones. The intervention group (n = 31) received breastfeeding support through WhatsApp and phone calls for 16 weeks. Posttests were taken when the infant was 6 months old. Data were collected using the mother-infant information form, the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale Short Form (BSES-SF), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and the breastfeeding duration assessment form.
RESULTS: When the infant reached 6 months, no statistically significant differences were found in inter- or intra-group BSES-SF scores, nor in inter-group IIFAS scores (p > 0.05). In the intragroup analysis, the intervention group showed a statistically significant improvement in pre- and post-intervention IIFAS scores (p < 0.05), while a significant difference was also observed between groups in breastfeeding cessation rates (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Telephone breastfeeding support has been shown to improve infant feeding attitudes and increase breastfeeding maintenance. Telephone breastfeeding support can be safely implemented for mothers of late preterm infants.
PMID:42590865 | DOI:10.1177/08903344261470803
