Antenatal breastfeeding education approaches for breast soreness prevention among primiparous Indonesian women: A study protocol

Abstract

Background:

Inadequate positioning and attachment in the early postpartum period frequently result in breast soreness, which is among the leading causes of breastfeeding discontinuation. These conditions compromise exclusive breastfeeding and may adversely affect infant nutrition, underscoring the importance of effective antenatal breastfeeding education. Yet, few studies have evaluated clinical approaches to improving breastfeeding technique during pregnancy in this setting.

Objectives:

This study aims to investigate the impact of antenatal breastfeeding education delivered through clinical demonstrations on the incidence of breast soreness among primiparous Indonesian women.

Methods:

A quasi-experimental design with equivalent-time samples will be used. Participants will be pregnant women in their third trimester, randomized 1:1 into experimental and control groups. The intervention group will receive two 40-minute sessions, including a clinical demonstration of correct breastfeeding positioning and attachment, and an educational electronic booklet (“e-booklet”), while the control group will receive standard educational materials once. Primary outcomes will be evaluated at 7 and 14 days postpartum. Data analysis will include independent t-tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare mean differences between groups, with multivariate logistic regression used to identify covariates.

Summary:

This protocol will inform future interventions and programs aimed at strengthening breastfeeding education among primiparous mothers in Indonesian community settings. Findings may also guide the application of evidence-based best practices in similar contexts worldwide, with potential implications for reducing early feeding difficulties.