SECTION ON NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE: The Effect of Breastfeeding Education in the NICU on Post-Discharge Breastfeeding Duration

To demonstrate the importance of breastfeeding education for NICU moms by longitudinally following the duration of breastfeeding success in NICU graduates whose moms had received breastfeeding education during their NICU stay. We conducted a retrospective cohort study that identified women with infants in a Level III NICU, at a baby-friendly hospital, who had received NICU-specific breastfeeding education between November 2013 and May 2014. Post-discharge phone calls were then made to assess their breastfeeding status at 1 month and 3 months. A total of forty six mothers who had expressed a desire to nurse their infants were counseled by a NICU-trained lactation consultant. Thirty six of these mothers were contacted successfully by phone and were included in this study. The median gestational age at birth was 34 2/7 weeks (range 24 3/7 to full term) and the median birth weight was 2160 grams.