The effect of telephone-assisted breastfeeding monitoring on physiological jaundice, exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, development of colic, and breastfeeding self-efficacy: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

This randomized controlled study was conducted to evaluate the effects of telephone-assisted breastfeeding monitoring on physiological jaundice, exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, colic, breastfeeding success, and breastfeeding self-efficacy. Breastfeeding and infant care training were given to pregnant women by video calls (N = 54). Video call counseling was provided to the mothers in the intervention group (n = 27) every day for the first week after discharge and weekly until the 24th week, and the control group (n = 27) was only telephone called in follow-up weeks. The primary variables were exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding success, while secondary variables were physiological jaundice, colic, and breastfeeding self-efficacy. The LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool, the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Infantile Colic Scale were used. The mean scores of the intervention and control groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and multivariate analysis of variance in repeated measurements. The telephone-assisted breastfeeding monitoring increased exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months. Physiological jaundice was experienced less in infants in the intervention group. There was no difference in terms of infantile colic, breastfeeding success, and breastfeeding self-efficacy between group and group*time interaction, a difference was found in terms of time. The telephone-assisted breastfeeding monitoring can be used to increase exclusive breastfeeding and prevent physiological jaundice (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCTXXX).