The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Enhancement Program with LINE Application among Mothers with Cesarean Section: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Exclusive breastfeeding has been shown to promote health outcomes for infants and mothers. Mothers with cesarean section may have reduced confidence in their ability to breastfeed exclusively, especially during the first month postpartum. This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Enhancement Program with LINE Application on breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding four weeks after childbirth among mothers with a cesarean section. Fifty-two pregnant women prepared for cesarean section at a university hospital in central Thailand were divided into the experimental (n = 26) and control groups (n = 26). The experimental group received the program and usual care. The control group received only usual care. The instruments used for data collection consisted of the Demographic Characteristics Form, the Breast Feeding Self-efficacy Scale-short form, and the Infant Feeding Forms. Descriptive statistics, t-test and Fisher’s exact test were applied for data analysis. Results demonstrated that after participating in the intervention program for four weeks, the experimental group had higher mean scores of breastfeeding self-efficacy and rates of exclusive breastfeeding than those in the control group. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Enhancement Program with LINE Application contributed to higher breastfeeding self-efficacy and rates of exclusive breastfeeding for mothers with cesarean section. Nurse midwives can use this program in practice. However, the program needs to be further tested and content may need to be modified before being widely used.