Breastfeeding Education Across the Perinatal Period: A Descriptive Exploratory Pre-Implementation Study.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is the optimal infant feeding method; however, cessation rates remain high across many developed nations. Support for mothers can be improved through breastfeeding education that spans the entire perinatal period. Due to the number of healthcare providers involved, delivery of breastfeeding education must be consistent and tailored to individual needs. Digital innovations are a potential solution to enhance accessibility and consistency in breastfeeding education delivery. How to best implement these solutions in clinical settings is not yet known. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a non-experimental, exploratory descriptive survey to collect mothers' and providers' experiences of breastfeeding education, and their perceptions of how an eHealth resource can be adapted and implemented to standardise breastfeeding education. RESULTS: The surveys were completed by 93 providers and 78 mothers. Mothers reported receiving education from diverse providers across the perinatal period, with varying information at different time points. Information was received on many topics that changed at various times. Oral communication was ranked as the most frequent education method. Both groups reported that online videos and websites would be the most effective digital solutions to support breastfeeding education. CONCLUSION: Providers play a crucial role in supporting mothers through education delivery that spans the entire perinatal period. By integrating the findings, accessibility and consistency of breastfeeding education could be enhanced by implementing the eHealth resource across organisations in a health region.