Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: March | Volume: 10 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 121-128
A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Hoffman’s Exercise on Successful Breastfeeding Among Antenatal Mothers with Nipple Defects at Sri Guru Ram Das Hospital, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab
Amanpreet Kaur, Parvesh Saini, Karuna Sharma
Sri Guru Ram Das College of Nursing, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab.
Corresponding Author: Amanpreet Kaur
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Breastfeeding is a completely natural way of feeding the baby. Numerous health benefits have been proven to pass from mother to child through breast milk. It is an ideal food for the baby. There are many possible breast abnormalities that breastfeeding mothers may encounter such as long nipple, short nipple, flat and inverted nipple and cracked nipple which may cause difficulties in feeding. Nowadays non-pharmacological strategies are more in trend as compare to pharmacological strategies. Among all the non-pharmacological measures, the most effective approach is Hoffman’s exercise to treat nipple problems.
Aim: The aim of the study is to find out the effectiveness of Hoffman’s exercise on successful breastfeeding among antenatal mothers with nipple defects.
Material and Method: A quantitative quasi experimental design was used in this research study. The present study was conducted on primipara antenatal mothers at Gynae OPD and antenatal ward at Sri Guru Ram Das Hospital, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab. Total 60 primipara antenatal mothers were selected through the purposive sampling technique and the selected sample was assigned into two different groups that were 30 experimental and 30 control group. Written consent was taken from the participants of the study. Socio Demographic profile, Modified Via Christi breastfeeding assessment scale was used as a tool for data collection. The intervention Hoffman’s exercise (to manually stretch the breast away from the areola by applying pressure with thumb and forefinger to both horizontal and vertical direction 5 times a day till delivery) was demonstrated to experimental group of antenatal mothers with nipple defects who were nearing to delivery (37 to 40 weeks) and no intervention was given to control group.
Results: The result illustrated in the experimental group was medium risk 6(20%) on the level of breastfeeding, a large number of mothers 24(80%) had low risk on the level of breastfeeding with average mean and SD 7.80±1.12. In the control group, a high percentage of mothers 26 (86.7%) had medium risk on the level of breastfeeding, whereas 4(13.3%) had low risk on the level of breastfeeding with average mean and SD 4.53±1.25. The effectiveness was statistically tested by unpaired t-test to compare both the groups which manifested that t=10.62, df=58 the result was found to be significant at p<0.05 level of significance. Hence, it was concluded that the Hoffman’s exercise was an effective intervention on successful breastfeeding among antenatal mothers with nipple defects.
Key words: Effectiveness, Hoffman’s exercise, successful breastfeeding, antenatal mothers, nipple defects.