Effects of colostrum promoting program on milk flow among postpartum mothers with infants admitted to the neonatal ward, Regional Health Promotion Center 5 Ratchaburi

Abstract

        This quasi-experimental research aimed to compare the flow level, duration, and amount of colostrum that infants received for the first time between postpartum mothers who received the colostrum-promoting program on milk flow program in postpartum mothers and those who did not. The samples consisted of postpartum mothers whose newborns were admitted to the neonatal ward from April to July 2024. The 80 research participants were allocated into two groups which were 40 receiving regular nursing care and 40 receiving the colostrum production promoting program. Research instruments were quality approved by the three experts and the Index of item objective congruence (IOC) was between .67-1.00. Firstly, the colostrum promoting program consisted of 1) introducing and providing knowledge about the importance and benefits of colostrum to the newborn to the mother and relatives who were taking care of the baby, 2) Learning how to massage the breasts by themself from a pamphlet and demonstration, 3) Promoting mental relaxation by listening to music with natural sounds, and 4) Training on expressing and storing breast milk. Secondly, a personal and obstetric data record form. The Cronbach alpha coefficient of the research tool was .90. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square test and t-test.
        The results found that the mothers in the intervention group had a level of colostrum flow at a trickle (65.00%) and the infant received colostrum for the first time (t = 2.527) was statistically significantly different from the group that did not receive the program (p < .05). For the time that the infant received the first colostrum (t = -.530) was not statistically significantly different between the two groups (p > .05).