We know that telephone communication is not always the most appropriate to solve medical problems, but on many occasions we would have liked to have support through this route. In a follow-up of the telephone patient care service it was shown that the promotion, prevention and resolution of breastfeeding complications is possible by telephone, attended by nursing.
The care program corresponded to “Sanitat respon” (“Health responds”), a health consultation and advice service attended by nurses through a multichannel call management center in Catalonia.
Professional and social support for a nursing mother is essential for successful breastfeeding, although outside the hospital (sometimes even within it) it is not easy to find such help from health professionals.
So that telephone attention could become effective to help solve doubts or problems related to breastfeeding, being part of other convenient consultation factors, either midwives, pediatricians or support groups.
The study was retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional, of LM consultations received in “Sanitat respon” from January to November 2008. A total of 715 LM consultations were conducted. Of these, 107 made by men and 608 by women.
The main reason for consultation was demand for information on the good use of drugs (54.54% of cases) and 45.46% for other recommendations on ML.
Effectiveness of telephone assistance to breastfeeding consultations
These results were announced at the V Spanish Breastfeeding Congress, in an article entitled "Support for Breastfeeding via nursing care". The conclusions were as follows:
- Inquiries about LM are frequent in the telephone service.
- The telephone consultation is presented as an alternative for the resolution of doubts, and to reduce unnecessary consultations to health centers.
- The prevention and resolution of complications of LM, are possible by telephone, at any time that the user demands, thus reducing their anguish, concern and restlessness and encouraging its continuation.
- The nursing staff, responsible for the resolution of the consultations, is trained and qualified to support and promote the LM, guiding, enhancing and promoting the benefits offered to both the mother and the child.
I think I would have used this service, because with my two daughters I needed advice and guidance at certain times, although in case of doubts about drugs I go to the website of the Denia Hospital E-lactancia.org.
I only hope that really the consultations on the phone of “Sanitat respon” were and will be attended correctly by trained and aware people regarding breastfeeding.
In any case, that on the other side of the phone there are people trained to support breastfeeding It is undoubtedly an option that can solve many problems and doubts for mothers who need it, and I think that many of us would have used it at the beginning of our lactations.
Viá | Ihan.es More information | García Castañeda, Alastrue Naval, Rodriguez Navarro and Vives Vives, in the V Spanish Congress of Breastfeeding Foto | moppet65535 on Flickr-CC On Babies and more | The importance of non-health personnel in promoting and supporting breastfeeding, Role of pediatricians in promoting breastfeeding: baby's first days, What criticisms can nurses make towards prolonged breastfeeding? (I) and (II)
