Motivational Interviewing based peer support for breastfeeding
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A novel peer-support intervention using Motivational Interviewing for breastfeeding maintenance: a UK feasibility study
IRAS ID
161113
Contact name
Shantini Paranjothy
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Although 80% of mothers start breastfeeding in the UK, fewer than half breastfeed exclusively after one week and only 1 in 100 breastfeed exclusively to 6 months. Most women stop breastfeeding before they had planned. It is not known how breastfeeding peer-support (BFPS) should be provided in the UK for breastfeeding maintenance.
We will develop a new BFPS intervention that uses a motivational interviewing (MI) approach to help mothers who are young or live in disadvantaged areas to continue breastfeeding for longer. MI is a form of counselling that supports people in changing behaviour by exploring their thoughts and concerns and supporting them in setting their own goals. This approach has not previously been used in BFPS but has been successful in other areas, including peer outreach for young people with HIV.
To design our BFPS intervention, we will survey UK service providers, hold focus groups with pregnant women, parents and peer supporters and interview health professionals and service managers in each area to discuss what mothers require from BFPS.
We will then test whether it is possible to deliver MI-based BFPS in three areas in England and Wales where there are high levels of social and economic deprivation, high rates of teenage pregnancy and low rates of breastfeeding. 90 Women will be recruited by community midwifery teams over 6 months. Those who consent will be provided with proactive mother-centred breastfeeding peer support.
We will assess how many mothers take up the peer-support, if it is possible to deliver BFPS as planned, whether it is acceptable particularly to young mothers and first-time mothers, and determine the cost of providing the intervention. Participants will be followed up using structured telephone interviews at 10 days and 6-8 weeks. We will assess acceptability via interviews with mothers, peer supporters and health professionals.REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
14/WA/1123
Date of REC Opinion
6 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion