Effectiveness of Reflex Zone Stimulation on Initiation and Maintenance of Lactation Among Lactation Failure Mothers at SMVMCH, Kalitheerthalkuppam, Puducherry

Background of the Study: Breast feeding is a natural human activity. To have the full benefit of breastfeeding, the WHO recommended exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months of life and supplemented breastfeeding for at least one year. In 2007, the rate of breastfeeding at early postpartum was 75.0 % at 6 month of age was 43.0% and at 12 month was 22.2%. apparently, more than 50% of mother failed to breastfeed their baby adequately and thus face a risk of lactation failure due to stress, fatigue, anxiety in founded fears and also anesthesia, strong sedation, prolong labor, surgical intervention, placenta retention etc. Breast feeding is a natural human activity. To have the full benefit of breastfeeding, the WHO recommended exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months of life and supplemented breastfeeding for at least one year.

Objective: To initiate and maintenance of lactation among lactation failure mothers. In present Study 60 Postnatal Lactation failure mothers were studied, convenience sampling technique was used to select the sample. Modified Breastfeeding Assessment Scale was used to assess the level of lactation before and after the intervention.

Results: The present study revealed that in pre assessment all 60 (60%) mothers had lactation insufficiency and in post assessment 34(57%)of the mothers had average level of lactation and 26(43%) of the mothers had adequate level of lactation. The pre tests mean score was 5.3, whereas in post test mean score was 19.92. The paired 't' test overall value is 47.29, which is statistically highly significant at the level of p<0.05. This shows the effectiveness of reflex zone stimulation in initiation and maintenance of lactation. Hence the reflex zone stimulation is found to be effective in initiation and maintenance of lactation.