Does monitoring newborn weight discourage breast feeding?

BACKGROUND

A policy of regular neonatal weight monitoring was introduced to a geographically defined population in 2000. This was combined with targeted breast feeding support for infants reaching specified intervention thresholds.

AIMS: To look for evidence of compromise in breast feeding rates as a result of this policy change.

METHODS

Breast feeding rates at 10 days and 6 weeks were compared for this intervention population and two local non-intervention groups for the years 1999 and 2001. The data were analysed using Poisson regression analysis and the Z-test.

RESULTS

There was a 3.1% (95% CI 0.8% to 5.5%) rise in the deprivation corrected breast feeding rate at 6 weeks for the intervention population compared to an increase of 0.8% (95% CI -0.8% to 2.3%) for the combined control groups. Multivariate analysis showed that breast feeding rates were adversely influenced by deprivation, but were not significantly influenced by the intervention.

CONCLUSION

No evidence was found to support claims that regular monitoring of newborn weight adversely affects breast feeding rates.