Evaluating Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy in Adolescents Attending a Co-Designed Breastfeeding Program: A Prospective Pilot Cohort Study

Adolescents have lower rates of breastfeeding (BF) compared to older mothers. BF self-efficacy (SE) has been identified as an important factor influencing BF outcomes. An innovative BF program for young women was co-designed and implemented, which included staff training, a prenatal BF class, and BF peer support. The objective of this prospective pilot cohort study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prenatal education and peer support in improving a young mother's BF SE. Participants were pregnant adolescents recruited from a large urban non-profit social service outreach centre. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) was administered to participants before and after participating in the BF program. BSES-SF scores were summed to determine a composite score and compared descriptively using median score. Un-aggregated, item-by-item, comparison of pre- versus post-BF program scores were also compared to examine improvements in SE. A total of 20 adolescent mothers (mean age = 16.6) attended the program. An increase in the total BSES-SF score was observed based on descriptively comparing the mean pre- versus post-intervention. Participation in tailored prenatal education classes and a peer-support program was associated with increased BSES-SF. Identifying mothers with low BF SE can enable healthcare professionals to implement targeted interventions in this at-risk population.