Background.

Successful long-term breastfeeding depends on a successful start. With this in mind The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched by UNICEF and the WHO. The initiative is a global effort to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. In 1992,KalmarCountyHospitalwas certified as Baby Friendly Hospital (BFH). The hospital is an academic teaching hospital serving primarily middleclass families. We evaluated breastfeeding patterns during their implementation (1993). Since BFHI have been introduced, several studies have evaluated breastfeeding rates. However, as far as we know breastfeeding patterns have not been in focus. Therefore, the purpose of this presentation is to compare breastfeeding patterns from the introduction ofBabyFriendlyHospital1993 with year 2010

 MethodSampleThe inclusion criteria’s are; speaking Swedish, PN

Target group: A consecutive sample of mothers, Oct 2009-March 2010.

Comparison group: A consecutive sample of mothers (n=69), Oct 1992-March 1993.

Procedure

The data collection from this project has started in October 2009 and is similar to the study design from 1993.

A specific questionnaire was developed in 1993 which comprises background characteristics, delivery data, first suckling, breastfeeding patterns, supplementation, patterns of sleep and questions concerning support from health care professionals. Mothers kept a logbook registering times of breastfeeding during her stay at maternity ward.

The questionnaire, the logbook and an information letter will be given to the mothers when they arrive to the maternity ward. They are also informed to return the completed questionnaire and diary to the researcher in an enclosed pre-stamped envelope.

Analyze

Data will be analyzed using The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). In addition to descriptive data, differences between groups are going to be tested using Student’s t-test and Fischer’s Exact Test or Pearson’s Chi square test for two independent samples on nominal data