Promoting Breastfeeding Self-efficacy through Role-playing in Pregnant Women

Background Breast milk is the best and most effective food for infants and their survival and health. Promotion of breastfeeding self-efficacy is a goal of breastfeeding education. The purpose of this research was to teach breastfeeding through role-playing and explore its effects on breastfeeding self-efficacy among pregnant women referring to healthcare centers of Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods This study was carried out in 2014 on 74 pregnant women who referring in two healthcare centers of Isfahan. Data collection tool was Denis and Fox’s breastfeeding self-efficacy questionnaire. The intervention group was trained at the 36th week of pregnancy while the control group received routine care. Questionnaires were administered before the intervention and then one week and one month after delivery. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18. Results The mean score of self-efficacy, one month after delivery, was significantly higher in the intervention group (P<0.05). Also, the frequency distribution of breastfeeding self-efficacy differed significantly between the control and the intervention groups (P<0.05) and exclusive breastfeeding was higher in the intervention group (P<0.05). Conclusion Since role-playing method of teaching is directly related to breastfeeding self-efficacy it seems that laying the grounds for providing pregnant women with breastfeeding education could offer a solution for promoting self-efficacy and ultimately exclusive breastfeeding.