The effect of relaxation training on breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with preterm infants: A randomized clinical trial

Breastfeeding is a God's gift that combines with maternal emotions and gets suitable with needs of the child and his/her age. Self-efficacy in breastfeeding is self-adjustable frame that can be promoted with training programs to increase the rate and duration of breastfeeding. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of relaxation training on breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with preterm infants.

In this clinical trial study, 60 mothers with premature infants hospitalized randomly was assigned within two blocks of two months in both intervention and control groups. Mothers in the intervention group within 24-72 hours after childbirth individually and practically were included by the investigator for 30 to 45 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation training in Jacobson method. The Dennis Breastfeeding and demography information questionnaires were completed at baseline, the end of the fourth and eighth weeks by the mothers.

There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics of the two groups (P0.05). At the beginning of the study, t-test showed that the breastfeeding self-efficacy mean scores of the two groups did not significantly different (P=0.45). After the intervention in the fourth weeks, the average score of breastfeeding self-efficacy in the intervention group was (50.51± 6.79), and in the eighth weeks was (57.62± 6.22) compared to the control group (47.10± 8.85) and this difference was significant (P=0.001). The mean score of breastfeeding self-efficacy in the intervention group were significantly different at these times of study (P<0.001).

Regarding the effect of relaxation training on breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with preterm infants, education and training of it as a low cost and effective way to improve the health of mothers of premature infants is recommended.