Table 3.
First feeds and feeding after discharge
| First feeds | ||
| Ever breastfed or received expressed breast milk | 55/61 (90%) | |
| Had skin to skin contact within 24 hours of birth | 47/60 (78%) | |
| Maternal health problems after birth that affected feeding | 4/61 (7%) | |
| Received help with breast feeding within first few days | 40/60 (67%) | |
| How soon after birth was baby put to the breast | Within a few minutes | 14/55 (26%) |
| <30 min | 17/55 (31%) | |
| 30 min to 1 hour | 9/55 (16%) | |
| >1 hour to 8 hours | 3/55 (6%) | |
| >8 hours to 24 hours | 3/55 (6%) | |
| >24 hours later | 9/55 (16%) | |
| Experienced problems when feeding their baby in the hospital, birth centre or unit | 45/58* (78%) | |
| Common problems with feeding† | Poor latch | 20/45 (44%) |
| Medical issue | 14/45 (31%) | |
| Jaundice | 14/45 (31%) | |
| Tired/lethargic | 13/45 (29%) | |
| Maternal reason | 4/45 (9%) | |
| Tongue size/position | 3/45 (7%) | |
| Low tone | 1/45 (2%) | |
| Reported that they received enough help with feeding in hospital/birth centre | 48/58 (83%) | |
| General Feeding and feeding after discharge from hospital/birth centre | ||
| Problems with feeding baby after discharge from hospital/birth centre | 30/56 (54%) | |
| Problems with feeding after discharge† | ||
| Lethargy | 13/61 (21%) | |
| Poor weight gain/weight loss | 10/61 (16%) | |
| Low tone | 1/61 (2%) | |
| Latch | 5/61 (8%) | |
| Medical | 3/61 (5%) | |
| Jaundice | 3/61 (5%) | |
| Reflux | 3/61 (5%) | |
| Received help or information with feeding problems after discharge | 27/32‡ (84%) | |
*Three infants were home births.
†These problems were coded from open responses.
‡This denominator comes from the 30 participants who experienced problems with feeding after discharge from hospital and two who experienced problems with feeding after their home birth.