Maternal and Professional Assessment of Breastfeeding

Abstract

This study explored the relationships among maternal and professional breastfeeding assessments and maternal reports of satisfaction with breastfeeding. Participants were 35 first-time breastfeeding mothers. The LATCH Breastfeeding Documentation Tool was used for data collection. This tool was used in its original version for professional assessment and in a modified version for maternal reporting. Results show high percentages (85.7 to 100) of agreement among lactation consultants using the LATCH tool which supports the reliability of the tool. Correlation coefficients between professional scores and maternal scores ranged from 0.18 for "A" (Audible swallowing) to 0.67 for "L" (Latch). It appears that, unlike lactation consultants, new mothers evaluate breastfeeding based upon their somatic experience rather than observation of infant behavior.