MONITORING THE PRACTICE AND PROGRESS OF INITIATION OF BREASTFEEDING WITHIN HALF AN HOUR TO ONE HOUR AFTER BIRTH, IN THE LABOR ROOM OF KING KHALID UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

PURPOSE: To monitor the progress in the practice of early breastfeeding of newborn babies within half an hour to one hour after delivery, and to identify the reasons for not breastfeeding the babies in the labor room. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive study conducted in the labor and delivery rooms of King Khalid University Hospital during the months(5) of Jumada I and (11) Dhulqada 1422H. A total of 602 women were included in the study. A structured form was used to assess the extent of feeding and the reasons for not breastfeeding in the first ½ to 1 hour after birth. The frequency and the percentage were used to compare the data. RESULTS: It was encouraging to find that 60% of the women breastfed their babies within ½ an hour to 1 hour after birth. Of the reasons for not breastfeeding the babies early, two were of the greatest concern. The first is that 13% of the women were either too tired to breastfeed or refused to do so at this early stage. Secondly, the majority of the mothers who had had cesarean sections did not breastfeed their babies. CONCLUSION: Mothers and their families play a very vital role in building the health of the nation. This can be achieved by early breastfeeding, which contributes to the rearing of healthy babies, increase in intelligence and the building of strong future generations. The health care professional must have continuous education and be frequently updated on breastfeeding standards.