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Impact of a Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Bedsharing on Breastfeeding Rates and Duration for African-American Infants

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Abstract

Bedsharing is associated with both increased breastfeeding and increased risk of sudden and unexpected infant deaths. The objective was to determine impact of sleep location and counseling about sleep location on breastfeeding exclusivity and duration in African-Americans. 1194 mothers of newborns were randomized to receive messaging emphasizing either safe sleep practices to reduce SIDS risk or safe sleep practices to prevent SIDS/suffocation. Mothers completed four interviews in the 6 months after delivery. The most common sleep arrangement was roomsharing without bedsharing (“roomsharing”). Duration of any breastfeeding was 6.1 and 5.3 weeks for infants who usually bedshared or roomshared, respectively (p = 0.01). Duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 3.0 and 1.6 weeks for infants who usually bedshared or roomshared, respectively (p < 0.001). Group assignment did not affect breastfeeding duration. The most common sleep arrangement for African-American infants <6 months was roomsharing. An intervention designed to discourage bedsharing did not impact breastfeeding duration.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources Service Administration 1R40MC21511 and the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities P20MD000198.

Funding

This project was supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources Service Administration 1R40MC21511 and the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities P20MD000198.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, PO Box 800386, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA

    Rachel Y. Moon

  2. Division of General Pediatrics and Community Health, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Anita Mathews, Brandi L. Joyner & Rosalind P. Oden

  3. Center for Translational Science, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Jianping He & Robert McCarter Jr.

  4. Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

    Robert McCarter Jr.

  5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Washington, DC, USA

    Robert McCarter Jr.

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  1. Rachel Y. Moon
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Correspondence to Rachel Y. Moon.

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Clinical Trials Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01361880.

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Moon, R.Y., Mathews, A., Joyner, B.L. et al. Impact of a Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Bedsharing on Breastfeeding Rates and Duration for African-American Infants. J Community Health 42, 707–715 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-016-0307-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-016-0307-2

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