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. 2010 Sep;15(7):427-31.
doi: 10.1093/pch/15.7.427.

Which method of breastfeeding supplementation is best? The beliefs and practices of paediatricians and nurses

Ban Al-Sahab  1 , Mark Feldman, Alison Macpherson, Arne Ohlsson, Hala Tamim
Affiliations

Which method of breastfeeding supplementation is best? The beliefs and practices of paediatricians and nurses

Ban Al-Sahab et al. Paediatr Child Health. 2010 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

The aims of the present study were to assess the practices of breastfeeding supplementation methods, and to explore the opinions and beliefs of health professionals with regard to breastfeeding supplementation methods and the nipple confusion phenomenon. The study was cross-sectional in design, and participants were recruited from five hospitals in Toronto, Ontario. All of the nurses and attending paediatricians in postpartum floors and level II nurseries were invited to participate in the study. A total of 87 nurses and 16 paediatricians completed the survey questionnaire. Bottle feeding was the most common breastfeeding supplementation method used in the nurseries followed by cup feeding. Only 15.0% of the level II nurses agreed that frequent bottle feeds lead to the nipple confusion phenomenon, compared with 44.4% of the postpartum nurses and 56.2% of the paediatricians. Findings demonstrated considerable variation in the practices and beliefs surrounding supplementation methods. A randomized controlled trial comparing the safety, efficiency and subsequent breastfeeding rates of different breastfeeding supplementation methods is warranted.

La présente étude visait à évaluer les pratiques liées aux modes de complément de l’allaitement et à explorer les avis et les croyances des professionnels de la santé à cet égard et à l’égard du phénomène de confusion sein-tétine. Il s’agissait d’une étude à méthodologie transversale, et les participants ont été recrutés dans cinq hôpitaux de Toronto, en Ontario. La totalité des infirmières et des pédiatres traitants aux étages postpartum et aux pouponnières de niveau II ont été invités à participer à l’étude. Au total, 87 infirmières et 16 pédiatres ont rempli le questionnaire. L’alimentation au biberon était le mode de complément de l’allaitement le plus utilisé en pouponnière, suivie de l’alimentation au gobelet doseur. Seulement 15,0 % des infirmières de niveau II admettaient qu’une alimentation fréquente au biberon peut entraîner le phénomène de confusion sein-tétine, par rapport à 44,4 % des infirmières postpartum et à 56,2 % des pédiatres. Les résultats ont démontré une variation considérable des pratiques et des croyances entourant les modes de complément. Un essai aléatoire et contrôlé s’impose pour comparer l’innocuité et l’efficacité des divers modes de complément de l’allaitement de même que les taux d’allaitement subséquents.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Health professionals; Nipple confusion; Opinions; Supplementation methods.

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