| ~*~A Mommy's World Breastfeeding Center~*~ | |
In an attempt to identify the interruptions experienced by breastfeeding mothers on the first postpartum day, continuous observations were made of the mother's hospital room door for 12 consecutive hours to document the frequency and duration of interruptions (defined as door openings accompanied by a person entering the room). The incidence of phone calls was also monitored as an additional source of interruption. Data was completed for 29 mother-infant dyads. There were a total of 1,555 interruptions, giving a mean of 54 interruptions for each mother during the 12-hour observation period or a mean of 4.5 interruptions per hour. The average length of each interruption was 17 minutes, with a range of a 1-second peek in the door to a 7.9 hour visit. The majority of the interruptions were by the primary R.N. and personal care assistants, followed by the father of the baby and visitors. The authors conclude that experiencing this many interruptions can negatively influence breastfeeding, and nurses should be creative in discovering methods to allow the breastfeeding experience to evolve uninterrupted. —Elaine Zwelling, R.N., Ph.D.
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