A quality improvement study on breastfeeding initiation rate within 1 hour of life in inborn neonates in a tertiary care centre

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding is a well-established key of success to improve the outcome in neonates. Early initiation of breastfeeding in neonates refers to the provision of mother’s milk to their own babies as early as possible after delivery. Despite the established benefits of breastfeeding, early initiation of breastfeeding is found to be suboptimal in our country. Early initiation of breastfeeding has many challenges like no bedding in, availability of lactation counsellors and staff nurses, procedural delay (episiotomy, skin suture) and shifting from the recovery room. Objective of the study was to improve the rate of initiation of breastfeeding stable term and preterm neonates within 1 hour of life in both normal vaginal delivery and caesarean section conducted in our hospital from baseline to 95% over 3 months period by Quality improvement approach.Methods: Eligible inborn mother-infant dyads were enrolled in this study. A team formed, baseline data and rate of early initiation of breastfeeding collected and factors for delayed initiation analysed by Flowchart process, Fishbone analysis and 5 why’s, 3 PDSA cycles were done.Results: Total 50 mother-infant dyads assessed. Rate of early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of life increased from 25% to 100% over 3 months.Conclusions: This quality improvement study was able to accomplish sustained improvement in the rate of breastfeeding the neonates in the first hour of life.