Abstract
Parents' education and knowledge regarding major topics of children's health, such as nutrition and vaccines, have a paramount role. However, breastfeeding rates in first year of life are lower than recommended, and vaccine hesitancy is progressively spreading. To reverse this harmful trend, healthcare professionals are challenged to promote correct health information. This study aimed to assess newly mothers' knowledge of breastfeeding and vaccinations, and education received on both topics during hospital stay. We performed a cross-sectional survey in the Postnatal Unit of our Center. Mothers of full-term babies with a birthweight >2,500 g were enrolled. Two different questionnaires, one about breastfeeding and one about vaccines, were proposed to the 140 enrolled mothers. Ninety-nine percent of mothers enrolled were aware of breastfeeding benefits, and 92% felt adequately supported by maternity staff. Less than 25% stated to have received sufficient information regarding breastfeeding. Only 20% of mothers received information about vaccines during hospital stay. Healthcare providers were identified as primary, secondary, and tertiary source of information on vaccines by 55, 15, and 30% of mothers, respectively. Healthcare professionals are crucial in informing and educating mothers on breastfeeding and vaccinations. Post-partum hospital stay could be the right time for this critical responsibility.
Highlights
Increasing evidence indicates that investments through the first 1,000 days of life, continuing up to adolescence, play a key role in the optimization of health and development outcomes across the lifespan
The aim of this study was to investigate newly mothers’ breastfeeding benefits and vaccines knowledge, breastfeeding support and information received during hospital stay, information received on vaccines, if any, false beliefs on vaccines and source of information
The results of the present study indicate that, mothers enrolled were aware that breastfeeding is beneficial, they lacked a thorough knowledge of its benefits, which, in turn, could lead to an underestimation of breastfeeding importance for the dyad’s health
Summary
Increasing evidence indicates that investments through the first 1,000 days of life, continuing up to adolescence, play a key role in the optimization of health and development outcomes across the lifespan. The importance of improving parents’ knowledge on major topics of children’s health, such as nutrition and prevention of infectious diseases through vaccines, has been highlighted [1]. Both the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and vaccinations are commonly recognized as two of the most cost-effective public health interventions. Post-partum Stay and Mothers’ Choices currently available [2, 3] In this context, breastfeeding promotion and support immediately after birth are critical for its successful initiation and duration [2]. Mothers have been reported to think and search for information regarding childhood vaccines already in the early post-partum period confirming that maternity health care is an important platform for health promotion [5, 6]
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