Learning Objective #1: Explain the breast-feeding program for mothers of premature infants that was developed by the author in the southern part of Korea

Learning Objective #2: Describe the effects of the breast-feeding program for mothers of premature infants on stress, knowledge, and practice

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In Korea these days birth rate are decreasing(1.17/1000), but premature birth rate are increasing(11.9%). It is the big crises to a mother who delivers a premature infnat. The mother of a premature infant usually feels lack of maternal role confidence and wants to get more information on the knowledge of properly caring her premature infnat. So, there is no disputing the importance of the nutrition for the premature infants. Breast milk is good to premature infnats as well as full term. The main purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the breasfmilk feeding program for mothers of premature. Firstly, I developed the breast feeding program for mothers of premature infants consisted of handbook and videotape. The program was applied and its effect was evaluated on stress, knowledge and practice of premature infant's mother. This study designed one group pre- and post-test quasi-experimental research. The data were collected from 17 subjects from August 15 to October 24, 2004 at NICU, D University Medical Center located in Busan. The Handbook and video tape program was provided twice during a period from two-three days after her infant's admission to one week after the first. Data were analyzed by means of frequency, SD, t-test using SPSS. After the application of the program, the subjects significantly showed a better perception of knowledge than before the program(t=-5.750, p=.000). But there existed no statistically significant differences in stress level score(t=1.453, p=.153). Breast feeding practice rate was 94.1%. It is concluded that the program used handbook and video tape has the positive effect on increasing knowledge and practice of premature infant's mothers. It is suggested that this study be replicated with a larger sample size to compared group.