Evaluation of a training program for healthcare professionals about breast-feeding

Objective: To assess the impact of a continuing medical education program based on the WHO's 10 steps to successful breast-feeding. Study design: An observational before-and-after study at a teaching hospital. Data for two random samples of 50 women before and 50 after the intervention were collected from medical records and completed by a mail questionnaire. Results: Seventy-six percent of mothers initiated breast-feeding in the two samples. The median duration of breast-feeding was 12 weeks and did not differ between the before and after groups. The percentage of newborns separated from their mother more than 4 h a night decreased substantially after the intervention (13% versus 52% before the intervention, P < 0.01). In-hospital formula provision also decreased after the intervention (63% of newborns versus 82% before intervention, P = 0.07). Conclusion: This pilot study has enabled authors to document the feasibility of evaluating the impact of continuing education of maternity ward staff. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.