Effect of telephone follow-up on postdelivery breastfeeding and maternal attachment

Context: Encouraging breastfeeding is a public health priority. However, no study is available from Iran on the effect of telephone follow-up on postpartum maternal attachment to the newborn.
Aims: To assess the impact of postpartum telephone follow-up on breastfeeding and maternal attachment.
Setting and Design: A clinical trial was conducted on 120 mothers who had a delivery at Alborz Hospital of Karaj during the spring of 2014.
Material and Mothers were randomly assigned into three groups of 40. The groups one and three received breastfeeding training (BFT) and the groups one and two received telephone follow-up. Data were collected using a questionnaire. All groups had a pretest and a posttest on their knowledge, attitude, and performance toward breastfeeding. Mother's attachment to their newborn was assessed at the end of the study. Statistical Analysis Used: Analysis of variance, Tukey, and Paired t tests were used for data analysis.
The BFT plus telephone follow-up could increase the mother's scores in breastfeeding. However, telephone follow-up could not affect the maternal attachment scores. The mean attachment score was significantly higher in mothers with a planned pregnancy P This study confirmed the beneficial effect of BFT and telephone follow-up on mother's knowledge, attitude, and performance toward breastfeeding. Therefore, integration of BFT and telephone follow-up in postpartum care programs are suggested.