In this pilot study, the investigators aim to examine if antenatal breastmilk expression from week 34 of pregnancy is a safe and feasible procedure for the mother and fetus. Furthermore, the investigators want to evaluate breastfeeding rates.
In a randomized pilot study, 60 healthy pregnant women will be randomized either to antenatal breastmilk expression from week 34+0 until delivery or no antenatal breastmilk expression. Furthermore, all participants will have an individual breastfeeding consultation with a trained midwife in week 33 of pregnancy. At the consultation, the intervention group will also be taught how to perform antenatal expression by hand and store any expressed breastmilk correctly. All women included in this study will receive standard care. To detect signs of uterine contractions or fetal reaction in relation to stimulation of the breast, a cardiotocography (CTG) will be performed before, during and after the first expression in the intervention group. If the CTG is normal the women can perform breastmilk expression by hand 5 minutes at each breast two times per day until birth, and collect and store any expressed milk. During the intervention and 8 weeks after birth the participating women will receive weekly push-messages through an application on their smartphone. The messages include short questions about the handexpression of milk in pregnancy as well as regarding feeding of the infant after birth. At the end of the study the mothers will be invited for an interview to investigate their experience with the procedure, but this is an independent study and therefore not a part of this protocol.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
60
Stimulation of the breast by hand/handexpression of breastmilk during pregnancy from week 34
60 min standardized breastfeeding consultation with a trained midwife, with focus on practical breastfeeding skills
Odense University Hospital
Odense, Denmark
Gestational age at birth in the two groups
Gestational age of infant at birth. Information will be found through medical records. In the weekly push-messages the women have to answer if they have been giving birth. If they click yes, investigators get a notification and find gestational age and baseline infant characteristics through medical records.
Time frame: Through study completion, an avarage of 1 year.
Number of weekly breastmilk expressions before birth
Number of weekly expressions in interventiongroup. Measured through the weekly push-messages.
Time frame: Through study completion, an avarage of 1 year.
Amount of breastmilk expressed
How many women will be capable of expressing any milk before birth in intervention group, and how many ml. Volume is measured by each women using a container with a mL scale and reported through weekly self reported push-messages.
Time frame: Through out the study, an average of 1 year. Assesment when all women included have been giving birth.
Breastfeeding rates 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after birth
Measured through weekly self-reported push-messages in both groups
Time frame: Through study completion, an avarage of 1 year.
Number of exclusively breastfeeding versus partially breastfeeding women in each group at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after birth
Measured through the weekly self-reported push-messages in both groups
Time frame: 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after birth
Adverse reactions from mother or fetus during first breastmilk expression
Contractions and/or fetal stimulation during the first breastmilk expression during pregnancy, assessed with CTG
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Time frame: Through study completion, an avarage of 1 year.