Professional Breastfeeding Support Intervention

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Professional Breastfeeding Support Intervention to Increase the Exclusivity and Duration of Breastfeeding

The investigators will conduct an early postpartum professional breastfeeding intervention to postpartum women who are intended to breastfeed newborn babies to improve breastfeeding outcomes.

The aim of this study is to determine whether early post-partum professional breastfeeding support improves breastfeeding outcomes.

The primary hypotheses are:

1. Exclusive breastfeeding rates at 1, 2, and 3 months will be increased among mother-infant pairs who receive professional lactation support or telephone follow-up support (intervention groups) when compared with those who receive usual post-natal breastfeeding support (control group);
2. The rate of any breastfeeding (predominant or partial) at 1, 2, and 3 months will be increased among mother-infant pairs in the intervention groups when compared with those in the control group;

The secondary hypotheses are:

1. The overall duration of exclusive breastfeeding will be increased among mother-infant pairs in the intervention groups when compared with those in the control group;
2. The overall duration of any breastfeeding (predominant or partial) will be increased among mother-infant pairs in the intervention groups when compared with those in the control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. delivers at participating trial site,
2. primiparous,
3. intends to breastfeed,
4. 18 years of age or older,
5. has singleton pregnancy,
6. Cantonese speaking,
7. Hong Kong resident for more than one year,
8. no serious medical or obstetrical complications

Exclusion Criteria:

1. < 37 weeks gestation,
2. an Apgar score < 8 at five minutes,
3. a birth weight < 2500 grams,
4. born with any severe medical conditions or congenital malformations,
5. is placed in the special care nursery for more than 48 hours after delivery,
6. is placed in the intensive care nursery after delivery,
7. not entitled to health benefits in Hong Kong (NEP).