The Effect of Relactation Support Program on Milk Release

The Effect of Relactation Support Program on Milk Release, Mother-Infant Attachment and Maternity Role

Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of relactation support program on milk release, mother-infant attachment and maternity role.

Materials and Methods: This single-group pre-test post-test experimental study was conducted with 34 mothers who had 1-4 month old infants, stopped breastfeeding at least 15 days and at most 3 months ago and were registered in the family health centers of a province in the southern Turkey. The relactation support program was completed in 15 days, with eight home visits and seven telephone support sessions. The data were collected using a personal information form, a mother-infant follow-up form, the Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI) and the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF).

Keywords: Mother-Infant Attachment, Maternity Role, Midwifery, Relactation, Milk Release.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Mother-Child Relations; Breast Feeding, Exclusive
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: TEACHING RELACTATION TECHNIQUES

Detailed Description

This is a single-group pre-test post-test experimental study. This study was conducted between October 2021 and October 2022 in Family Health Centers (FHCs) in province in southern Turkey. By using the G*power 3.1 program, the sample size was determined to include 29 mothers/women under 5% margin of error, 95% confidence level, and 95% power of representation.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 34
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Malatya, Turkey
    • İnonü Universty

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For mothers;

• Having no milk release,
• Using no pharmacological agents that may increase milk release,
• Being not pregnant,
• Having no communication problem,
• Being literate,
• Being between the ages of 18-35 years,
• Having singleton gestation in their last childbirth,
• Using no medication that prevents breastfeeding (chemotherapy, etc.). For babies;
• Being healthy
• Having no congenital sucking problem (cleft palate, cleft lip, etc.)

Exclusion Criteria:

For mothers;

• Using any pharmacologic agent to increase milk release,
• Having a diagnosis of psychiatric illness. For babies;
• Having any metabolic disease that may prevent breastfeeding (galactosemia, phenylketonuria, etc.) or any other chronic disease (advanced heart disease, etc.).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: single-group pre-test post-test experimental study; In our midwifery intervention, the mother was firstly educated about breastfeeding and relactation, using educational brochures prepared by the researchers. Afterwards, the mother was taught "nipple stimulation", "skin-to-skin contact" and "finger feeding method", and the first feeding of the baby was performed together with the mother. After this first intervention in the FHC, all interventions were performed at home. The follow-ups continued for 15 days with one day of telephone support and one day of home visit. Since the majority of mothers did not accept video calls (privacy, etc.), telephone support was provided only verbally.

Other: TEACHING RELACTATION TECHNIQUES; In our midwifery intervention, the mother was firstly educated about breastfeeding and relactation, using educational brochures prepared by the researchers. Afterwards, the mother was taught "nipple stimulation", "skin-to-skin contact" and "finger feeding method", and the first feeding of the baby was performed together with the mother. After this first intervention in the FHC, all interventions were performed at home. The follow-ups continued for 15 days with one day of telephone support and one day of home visit. Since the majority of mothers did not accept video calls (privacy, etc.), telephone support was provided only verbally.; Other Names: BREASTFEEDING EDUCATION

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Questionnaire	Mother-Infant Follow-Up Form filled out at the first meeting with the participants.This form was prepared by the researchers and includes information about the mothers' breastfeeding issues, breast health problems (cracks, mastitis, etc.), number of daily breastfeeding, number of daily milk release, amount of milk release, baby's weight and presence of sucking problems, which should be followed up during relactation.	First day
Scale 1	Maternal Attachment Scale was used for pretest.This 4-point Likert-type scale has a total of 26 items, scoring as "always =4", "often =3", "sometimes =2", and "never =1". The lowest and highest scores on the scale are 26 and 104, respectively. Higher scale scores refer to greater maternal attachment.	First day
Scale 2	Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning Scale was used for pretest. Index of Maternal Functioning consists of 16 items, scoring as "completely disagree=0", "disagree=1", "partially disagree=2", "undecided=3", "partially agree=4", "agree=5", "completely agree=6". The lowest and highest scores on the scale are 0 and 96, respectively. The scale has five subscales: Self-Care (2, 11, 13 items); Maternal Psychology (8, 10 items); Infant Care (items 12, 14, 15, 16); Social Support (items 6, 7, 9); Maternal adjustment (items 1, 3, 4, 5).	First day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Questionnaire	Mother-Infant Follow-Up Form was filled out every day for 15 days.Finally, it was filled on the 16th day.	1-16 days
Scale 1 Scale 1 (Attachment Inventory)	Maternal Attachment Scale was used for posttest.	16. day
Scale 2	The Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning was used for posttest.	16. day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Inonu University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 20, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): October 22, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 9, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 25, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 31, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 31, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 25, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: breast feeding; connecting; maternal role
• Other Study ID Numbers: emelabdullahyusuf46

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No