The exclusive breastfeeding rate in Malaysia is very low. However in recent years the awareness of breastfeeding among mothers has increased. A preliminary qualitative research was carried out on these motivated mothers. The objective of this study was to understand the challenges encountered by breastfeeding mothers and to explore the support and motivation received by them. Information from the motivated mothers was obtained from focus group discussion. Some obstacles faced by the mothers were lack of knowledge on breastfeeding and lack of support from health professionals, parents and siblings. Facilities to express breast milk while at work were not readily available. The main motivation to breastfeed came from the mother herself and support from the husband. A holistic approach must be used to help mothers to continue breastfeeding. This includes breastfeeding promotion and education, setting up more Baby Friendly Hospitals, availability of breastfeeding support groups and provision of enough breastfeeding facilities at work and public places.
Breast Feeding

No abstract available.
Breast Feeding*

Background: The Dietary Habits and Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (DHNKQ) is a validated assessment tool that provides information about the nutritional practices of collegiate athletes as an integral support to sports performance. This psychometric study aims to translate and validate the DHNKQ for the Filipino collegiate population to come up with the DHNKQ-FIL using various psychometric protocols consolidated into two phases. Methods: The first phase involved the translation of the tool into Filipino and testing for face and content validity through a focus group discussion by an expert committee and was finalized with the administration of a pre-test to 30 collegiate athletes for final modification purposes. The second phase tested the validated DHNKQ-FIL on a new set of 30 collegiate athletes for internal consistency and reliability testing, statistically analyzed using Cronbach’s α and intraclass correlation coefficient, respectively. Results: The DHNKQ-FIL used modern Filipino terminologies, more appropriate for the modern Filipino collegiate athlete. Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI) had scores of 90% and above in semantic, idiomatic, experiential, and conceptual equivalence for both sections. Food guides and choices, along with the usage of medical jargon, were identified areas for modification in the validity testing. Pre-test subjects considered the questionnaire appropriate and applicable for Filipino athletes after cognitive interview. The pilot test showed scale reliability scores of 0.68 or “Questionable” for dietary habits section and 0.81 or “Good” for nutritional knowledge. Test-retest reliability had a score of 0.79 or “Acceptable” for dietary habits and 0.60 or “Questionable” for nutrition knowledge. Conclusion The acceptable scores for the translation, validation, and reliability of the DHNKQ-FIL makes it a valid tool for assessing dietary habit and nutritional knowledge among Filipino collegiate athletes.
Feeding Behavior

Objective: To determine the impact of Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (MBFHI) implementation on the success of breastfeeding practices among patients who gave birth in a tertiary hospital. Methodology: Seventy-one postpartum patients who have no contraindications to breastfeeding were recruited from September-November 2017. Outcome variables regarding on the success of breastfeeding initiation on the first hour postpartum and hospital stay were measured. Participants were followed-up by phone call at 3 and 6-months postpartum to determine their practice on exclusive breastfeeding. Results: The exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates at first hour postpartum, during hospital stay, 3 and 6 months were 91.5%, 81.7%, 65.9%, and 45.5%, respectively. The participants who had cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery were 19 (26.8%) and 52 (73.2%) respectively. There was no significant association between the route of delivery and successful breastfeeding at first hour (p = 0.179). At first hour postpartum, majority of the infants who did not initiate breastfeeding was due to respiratory distress. At 6 months, only 39% (26 out of 66) did proper breastfeeding. There were 26 out of 66 (39%) subjects who have work at 6 months, and among these, 12 subjects were not able to collect and store milk due to unavailability of lactation clinic at their workplace. Overall, approximately half of the subjects who initiated EBF were not able to continue EBF until 6 months due to inadequate milk production and resumption of work. Conclusion Half of mothers exclusively breastfed up to 6 months, regardless of age, parity and route of delivery. The main determinants of EBF cessation at 6-month postpartum include inadequate milk production, resumption of work and inability to collect milk. To promote successful EBF among mothers in the Philippines, interventions should focus on strengthening the breastfeeding policy implementation in the workplace and communities to promote, protect and maintain breastfeeding.
Breast Feeding

PURPOSE

Exclusive breastfeeding is the clinical standard that provides maximum health benefits for mothers and infants. However, the transition to home post-delivery may pose challenges for postpartum women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between breastfeeding knowledge, self-efficacy and readiness for hospital discharge among postpartum mothers.

This cross-sectional research utilized a descriptive correlational design and purposive sampling method to recruit postpartum mothers aged 18 years and above who gave birth through normal spontaneous delivery or cesarean section in Silliman University Medical Center from December 2022 to February 2023. Sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics were obtained through self-administered questionnaires. Data was collected using the Breastfeeding Knowledge (BK) Scale, the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale Short Form (BSES-SF), and the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS). Statistical analyses were performed using Jamovi software.

A sample of 119 postpartum mothers qualified for the study with a mean maternal age of 30.49 years and a mean gestational age of 38.25 weeks. The majority were married, college graduates, and employed. About half of the sample were primigravid and primiparous. Most were delivered via normal spontaneous delivery (69.75%) and exclusive breastfeeding was preferred (63.87%). The postpartum mothers had good breastfeeding knowledge (56.30%), were frequently confident to breastfeed (M=3.81; 95% CI [3.62, 4.00]), and were slightly ready for hospital discharge (M=7.87; 95% CI [7.55, 8.19]). Chi-square correlations 2 revealed a significant relationship between educational attainment and breastfeeding knowledge (X [4, N=11] = 14.70, p < 0.05). 2 2 2 Gestational age (X [2, N=119] = 6.96, p < 0.05), employment status, (X [2, N=119] = 6.00, p < 0.05), gravidity (X [2, N=119] = 14.31, 2 2 p < 0.05), parity (X [2, N=119] = 7.08, p < 0.05) and infant feeding style (X [2, N=119] = 12.24, p < 0.05) had a significant relationship to 2 2 breastfeeding self-efficacy. Additionally, gravidity, (X [2, N=119] = 11.19, p < 0.05) and parity, (X [2, N=119] = 5.08, p < 0.05) were both associated with readiness for hospital discharge. Spearman rank order correlation revealed a significant positive relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and readiness for hospital discharge, r (117) =0.553, p=0.000.

Self-efficacy to breastfeed was linked to an increased likelihood of exclusively breastfeeding. Postpartum mothers with greater confidence in their ability to breastfeed were more prepared for hospital discharge. When transitioning to home after delivery, it is important to consider specific sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics to tailor-fit teaching plans on breastfeeding, thus improving breastfeeding knowledge and self-efficacy when caring for postpartum women.

Background: To date, the Malaysian government has implemented three nationwide lockdowns (Movement Control Order, MCO) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 transmission. It is predicted that children’s eating behaviour could be different due to the sudden change in daily routine and school closure during the pandemic. Therefore, this study aims to compare the children’s eating behaviour during the implementation of MCO 1.0 and MCO 2.0. Methods: Children’s eating behaviour during the lockdowns was assessed with a 35-item validated Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Results: Children in Malaysia attained significantly higher mean scores (p<0.05) in food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, and desire to drink subscales in MCO 2.0 than that of MCO 1.0. Conversely, significantly lower mean scores (p<0.05) were observed in satiety responsiveness and slowness in eating subscales during the MCO 2.0 compared to MCO 1.0. Conclusion Children residing in Malaysia had higher food responsiveness, food enjoyment, desire to drink, and eating speed during the MCO 2.0 than MCO 1.0. The findings of this study may be useful for the policymakers in formulating healthy eating intervention strategies in the post-COVID-19 era.
Feeding Behavior

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months and continued breastfeeding for up to 2 years. Breastfeeding mothers adopt different breastfeeding techniques and positions which predispose various musculoskeletal pain. A cross-sectional study was aimed to identify the prevalence of neck and low back pain and its association with various factors (breastfeeding position, feeding side, mode, technique, duration and total breast-feeding sessions per day) among breastfeeding mothers in the Klang Valley. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence and associated factors of neck and low back pain. A total of 193 breastfeeding mothers responded to the questionnaire. The prevalence of neck and low back pain among breastfeeding mothers in the Klang Valley was 58% and 69.4%, respectively. There was no significant association between the prevalence of neck and low back pain with various risk factors as the p-values were > 0.05, except for significant association of total breastfeeding sessions per day for neck pain with p = 0.02. Musculoskeletal pain is common among breastfeeding mothers in the Klang Valley, with a higher prevalence of low back pain compared to neck pain.
Breast Feeding

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the effects of individual postpartum breast-feeding education on adaptation, attitude and practice of breast-feeding in primiparas. METHODS: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent design was used to examine the effects of individual postpartum breast-feeding education among primiparas. The data were analyzed using chi2-test, Fisher's exact test and paired t-test. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in breast-feeding adaptation (t=-12.94, p<.001), breast-feeding attitude (t=-2.71, p=.011) and breast-feeding practice (chi2=16.47, p<.001) between the group education (experimental group I) and individual education after group education (experimental group II). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that individual education on breast-feeding compared to group education has more positive effects on increasing breast-feeding adaptation, attitude and practice in primiparas. This result also indicates that many primiparas should be given opportunities of various types of education to improve breast-feeding practice such as individual approaches and postpartum breast-feeding education programs.
Breast Feeding ; Postpartum Period

No abstract available.
Feeding and Eating Disorders* ; Eating*

Causes of reduction and interruption of breastfeeding were reviewed, and methods for detection, treatment and prevention were recommended. Causes of reduction and interruption of breastfeeding include the lack of energy storage in mother during pregnancy period, mother is too young, or having internal diseases during pregnancy. Both mother and child were needed to check for signs of lack or interruption of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding rehabilitation can be done by consulting to build the belief in health and the possibility of producing milk of the mother, stimulating the milk production in the mother by encouraging feed the child many times at the right position and avoiding too hard physical work.
Breast Feeding ; Rehabilitation