Table 1.
Health Care Providers’ Demographics.
| Category | Response Item | N=93 N (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Work Setting | Community | 66 (71.0) |
| Hospitals | 10 (10.8) | |
| Both community and hospitals | 17 (18.3) | |
| Years of Work Experience | 1-10 | 1-10 – 37 (39.8) |
| 11-20 | 11-20 – 36 (38.7) | |
| 21-30 | 21-30 – 14 (15.1) | |
| > 30 | > 30 -4 (4.3) | |
| No response | -2 (2.2) | |
| Professional Role | Public health nurse | 53 (57) |
| Lactation consultant | 31 (34) | |
| Nurse | 18 (19.4) | |
| Midwife | 4 (4.3) | |
| Registered dietician | 5 (5.7) | |
| Prenatal educator | 4 (4.5) | |
| Peer lactation counsellor | 4 (4.5) | |
| Family physician | 3 (3.2) | |
| Doula | 2 (2.3) | |
| Nurse practitioner | 1 (1.1) | |
| Chiropractor | 1 (1.1) | |
| Naturopathic doctor | 1 (1.1) | |
| Other | 3 (3.2) |
Table 2.
Mothers’ Demographics.
| Demographic | N=78 N (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Parenting role | Mother | 78 (100) |
| Father | 0 | |
| Partner | 0 | |
| Birth Parent | 0 | |
| Age of youngest child | 0-< 6 months | 13 (16.7) |
| 6 months-< 12 months | 13 (16.7) | |
| 12 months< 18 months | 15 (19.2) | |
| 18 month< 24 months | 13 (16.7) | |
| > 24 months | 24 (30.8) | |
| Number of children | 1 | 39 (50.0) |
| 2 | 32 (41.0) | |
| 3 | 6 (7.7) | |
| 4 | 1 (1.4) |
Figure 1.
HCPs That Provided Breastfeeding Education Over Perinatal Period.
Figure 2.
Most Critical Time to Provide Breastfeeding Education.
Figure 3.
Topics Covered Over Perinatal Period.
Figure 4.
Topics Discussed by HCPs.
Table 3.
Breastfeeding Education Topics.
| Topic | Parent (n=78) | HCP (n=93) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pregnancy | Immediately post birth | In hospital | After going home | |||||||
| Provided n (%) | Most important n (%) | Provided n (%) | Most important n (%) | Provided n (%) | Most important n (%) | Provided n (%) | Most important n (%) | Always provided n(%) | Most important n (%) | |
| Breastfeeding recommendations | 47 (60.3) | 45 (57.7) | 28 (35.9) | 15 (19.2) | 37 (47.4) | 24 (30.8) | 36 (46.1) | 23 (29.5) | 51 (54.8) | 28 (30.1) |
| Importance of BF to mom and babe | 60 (76.9) | 53 (67.9) | 27 (34.6) | 19 (24.2) | 28 (35.9) | 19 (24.2) | 25 (32) | 13 (19.6) | 52 (55.9) | 9 (9.7) |
| Importance of skin to skin | 59 (75.6) | 50 (64.1) | 43 (55.1) | 43 (53) | 31 (39.7) | 24 (30.8) | 22 (28.2) | 14 (17.9) | 74 (80) | 14 (15) |
| Hand expression | 32 (41.0) | 32 (41.0) | 22 (28.2) | 23 (23.5) | 23 (29.5) | 22 (28.2) | 28 (35.9) | 14 (17.9) | 60 (64.5) | 15 (16.1) |
| Milk changes in the first few days | 36 (46.2) | 26 (33.3) | 23 (29.5) | 22 (28.6) | 30 (38.5) | 30 (38.5) | 29 (37.2) | 14 (17.9) | 63 (67.7) | - |
| How to assess your milk supply | 8 (10.3) | 23 (29.5) | 7 (9) | 18 (23.1) | 8 (10.3) | 28 (35.9) | 34 (43.6) | 30 (38.5) | 59 (63.4) | 25 (26.9) |
| How to know your baby is getting enough | 15 (19.2) | 30 (38.5) | 11 (14.1) | 29 (37.2) | 29 (37.2) | 49 (62.8) | 44 (56.4) | 40 (51.3) | 87 (93.5) | 14 (15) |
| Mechanics-latch position suck swallow | 21 (26.9) | 35 (44.9) | 32 (44.8) | 46 (59.0) | 44 (56.4) | 52 (66.7) | 42 (53.8) | 35 (44.9) | 80 (86) | 66 (71) |
| Breastfeeding in the first hour after birth | 32 (41.0) | 35 (44.9) | 44 (56.4) | 38 (48.7) | 15 (19.2) | 10 (12.8) | 7 (9.0) | 6 (7.7) | - | 9 (9.7) |
| Common Concerns | 18 (23.0) | 25 (32) | 10 (12.8) | 13 (19.6) | 11 (14.1) | 31 (39.7) | 41 (52.6) | 36 (46.2) | 66 (71) | 5 (7.5) |
| When to get help | 14 (17.9) | 32 (40.1) | 9 (11.5) | 14 (17.9) | 19 (24.4) | 33 (42.3) | 41 (52.6) | 31 (39.7) | 78 (83.9) | 10 (10.8) |
| Where to get help | 16 (20.5) | 35 (44.9) | 9 (11.5) | 16 (20.5) | 17 (25.8) | 40 (51.3) | 41 (52.6) | 39 (50) | 85 (91.4) | 28 (30.1) |
| Pumping | 12 (15.4) | 17 (21.8) | 5 (6.4) | 7 (9) | 14 (17.9) | 28 (35.9) | 41 (52.6) | 32 (40.1) | 24 (25.8) | - |
| Milk Storage | 12 (15.4) | 19 (24.2) | 5 (6.4) | 8 (10.3) | 11 (14.1) | 28 (35.9) | 37 (47.4) | 31 (39.7) | 19 (20.4) | - |
| Other | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 (5.4) |
Figure 5.
Methods of Information Delivery.
Image 1.
About Breastfeeding Navigation Bar.
Image 2.
The “About Breastfeeding Summary” Handout.
Image 3.
Support webpage information on where to find lactation professionals and assistance across Canada.