Mothers' poor knowledge and negative attitude towards breastfeeding influence practices
and constitute barriers to successful breast feeding. Objectives: To implement a
breastfeeding education intervention in a primary health care unit, and to assess the effect
of the intervention on knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing mothers. Methods: A
health education intervention study was carried out on nursing mothers recruited from
attendees of compulsory immunization sessions in one of health care centers of Suez
governorate. Sample size estimated to be 250, selected by systematic random sample.
Completing a structured interview questionnaire was done to assess mothers` knowledge
and attitude while practice was assessed using a breastfeeding observational checklist.
Results: Study was performed on 211 mother-infant pairs. 21.8% of the mothers were
exclusively breast feeding. 82% of study participants had previous breastfeeding
experience. There was a significant improvement in mothers` knowledge about advantages
of breastfeeding. (mean score: post 13.8 ±0.9 vs pre.9.5 ±2.8 p<0.001). There was
significant improvement of post-intervention mothers' attitude (p<0.001). A significant
improvement in mothers` breastfeeding practice (post 5.6 ± 0.8, vs pre-mean ± SD 3.9 ±
1.71 p=0.001). According to the mothers` wrong believes and barriers to exclusive
breastfeeding, the majority (>80%) of them reported pain as a major barrier, followed by
fear of distorted breast shape, poor prenatal and postpartum support, and insufficient milk
production. Conclusion: Breastfeeding intervention was efficient to achieve improvement
in mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and practice among attendants of the primary health care
unit in Suez governorate.