A well-baby peer counseling program is not associated with human milk receipt in the NICU

Objective:Evaluate the impact of a non-neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)-specific peer counseling (PC) program on the cessation of human milk receipt at and post-NICU discharge.Study Design:A multivariable logistic regression model used data from 400 mother-infant dyads from a level IV NICU to compare cessation of human milk receipt at NICU discharge by PC program status. Kaplan-Meier distributions and a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model assessed the relationship between participants/non-participants and cessation of human milk post-NICU discharge.Results:No statistically significant differences between groups in cessation of human milk either by or post-discharge were observed. Identified variables associated with the outcome(s) of interest included maternal and infant age, length of stay, presence of a breastfeeding duration goal and frequency of NICU lactation consultant contact.Conclusion:Exposure to a non NICU-specific PC program was not associated with human milk receipt either by or post-NICU discharge.