Challenging the utility of 24-hour recall of exclusive breast feeding in Japan.

Introduction: WHO recommends exclusive breast feeding from birth to 6 months. However, to monitor populations, it recommends using the proportion of infants under 6 months who were exclusively breastfed during the previous 24 hours. To assess the usefulness of 24-hour recall, we (1) compared the prevalence of exclusive breast feeding measured by since-birth recall to the prevalence measured by 24-hour recall and (2) quantified each indicator's association with WHO-recommended, well-established methods for in-hospital breastfeeding support.

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding support for healthy mothers and the association between compliance with WHO recommendations for breastfeeding support and exclusive breastfeeding in Japan.

Background: Professional breastfeeding support contributes to maternal and child health. However, the influence of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on breastfeeding support has not been carefully examined. Therefore, we assessed maternal breastfeeding intention and professional breastfeeding support before and during the pandemic.

Development of the breastfeeding support scale to measure breastfeeding support from lay and professional persons, and its predictive validity in Japan.

Background: International and national organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, but many women stop earlier. Lay and professional persons can support mothers' efforts to overcome breastfeeding difficulties. Considering breastfeeding support to comprise emotional support, practical help, and information offered to women who desire to breastfeed (by professionals, family members, and others), we developed and tested a scale to measure it in Japan.

The Influence of Breastfeeding Peer Support on Breastfeeding Satisfaction Among Japanese Mothers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Peer support may help mothers to feel satisfied with their breastfeeding and to continue breastfeeding. However, previous researchers have not examined the influence of peer support on the three breastfeeding-satisfaction domains.

Research Aim: We aimed to examine the influence of telephone-based peer support on the following three domains of breastfeeding satisfaction among Japanese mothers: maternal satisfaction, perceived benefit to the infant, and lifestyle compatibility with breastfeeding.

Development of the revised Japanese Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale, short version.

Background And Objectives: The Japanese Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale (JMBFES) was developed in 2013 based on the original Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale (MBFES). Mothers' abilities to incorporate breastfeeding into their daily life may influence their decision to continue or discontinue to breastfeed, but that version of the JMBFES had no questions to measure this important aspect of breastfeeding. Therefore, we sought to improve the JMBFES by incorporating questions measuring "lifestyle compatibility-incompatibility," and we conducted psychometric testing of the improved version.

Is baby-friendly breastfeeding support in maternity hospitals associated with breastfeeding satisfaction among Japanese mothers?

While the World Health Organization's Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative has increased breastfeeding duration and exclusivity, a survey found that only 8.5 % of maternity hospitals in 31 developed countries could be designated baby-friendly. Baby-friendly breastfeeding support is sometimes criticized as mother unfriendly.

Development and psychometric testing of the Japanese version of the maternal breastfeeding evaluation scale.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months after delivery is globally recommended as optimal infant feeding. However, if mothers evaluate their own breastfeeding by this standard, many might be disappointed because they fail to meet it. In contrast, the Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale (MBFES) measures mothers' satisfaction with breastfeeding regardless of the duration or exclusivity of breastfeeding.