Open AccessFather's involvement and its effect on early breastfeeding practices in Viet Nam
Author(s) -
Bich Tran Huu,
Hoa Dinh Thi Phuong,
Ha Nguyen Thanh,
Vui Le Thi,
Nghia Dang Thi,
Målqvist Mats
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
maternal and child nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1740-8709
pISSN - 1740-8695
DOI - 10.1111/mcn.12207
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , medicine , breastfeeding promotion , intervention (counseling) , promotion (chess) , odds ratio , health promotion , environmental health , demography , pediatrics , family medicine , public health , nursing , pathology , sociology , politics , political science , law
Fathers have an important but often neglected role in the promotion of healthy breastfeeding practices in developing countries. A community‐based education intervention was designed to mobilize fathers' support for early breastfeeding. This study aimed to evaluate an education intervention targeting fathers to increase the proportion of early breastfeeding initiation and to reduce prelacteal feeding. Quasi‐experimental study design was used to compare intervention and control areas located in two non‐adjacent rural districts that shared similar demographic and health service characteristics in northern V iet N am. Fathers and expectant fathers with pregnant wives from 7 to 30 weeks gestational age were recruited. Fathers in the intervention area received breastfeeding education materials, counselling services at a commune health centre and household visits. They were also invited to participate in a breastfeeding promotion social event. After intervention, early breastfeeding initiation rate was 81.2% in the intervention area and 39.6% in the control area ( P < 0.001). Babies in the intervention area were more likely to be breastfed within the first hour after birth [odds ratio ( OR ) 7.64, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) 4.81–12.12] and not to receive any prelacteal feeding ( OR 4.43, 95% CI 2.88–6.82) compared with those in the control area. Fathers may positively influence the breastfeeding practices of mothers, and as a resource for early childcare, they can be mobilized in programmes aimed at improving the early initiation of breastfeeding.