An assessment of the impact of a new-type of doctor–nurse joint prenatal breastfeeding clinic attendance on women’s breastfeeding duration and feeding-related breast problems: A cohort observational study

To promote breastfeeding, a new-type of doctor-nurse joint prenatal breastfeeding clinic was carried out in Haidian District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Beijing, China. Actual improvement in the duration of breastfeeding and feeding-related breast problems for women using these clinics remains unknown. This observational study assesses the impact of doctor-nurse joint prenatal breastfeeding clinic's interventions on breastfeeding duration and feeding-related breast problems in comparison with women who did not receive clinic services. Pregnant women with more than 36 weeks of gestation in Haidian District Maternal and Child Health Hospital were enrolled from July 2023 to September 2023. Patients were grouped based on whether they attended the doctor-nurse joint prenatal breastfeeding clinic. Telephone follow-up calls were conducted at 1 and 6 months postpartum. A total of 90 sets of valid data were collected, including 37 in the target group and 53 in the comparison group. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to the following metrics: the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 1 and 6 months postpartum, incidence of nipple injury and mastitis at 1 month postpartum, duration of exclusive and overall breastfeeding, and costs of breast treatment. The main reason for ceasing breastfeeding was milk insufficiency. The modality of lactation suppression was mainly natural cessation. Breast discomforts were mainly milk stasis. There is no significant advantage of doctor-nurse joint prenatal breastfeeding clinic. The promotion of breastfeeding still needs to explore new ways or comprehensive methods.