Evaluating the Breastfeeding Policy Implementation and Its Influence on Breastfeeding Practices Among Primiparous Adolescent Mothers in a Primary Government Hospital

This quantitative evaluative-correlational study examined the implementation of hospital breastfeeding policies and its influence on the breastfeeding practices of primiparous adolescent mothers in a selected primary government hospital in Palawan, Philippines. It involved 20 adolescent mothers aged 14 to 19 who gave birth to their first child. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire aligned with the principles of the Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (MBFHI), which emphasizes the importance of immediate skin-to-skin contact, rooming-in, breastfeeding education, and follow-up support to guide and sustain breastfeeding. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that all respondents had positive breastfeeding practices and reported early initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, and a strong intention to continue breastfeeding for up to 2 years. The postpartum mothers’ perceptions of breastfeeding policy implementation, along with their views on the effects of these policies, yielded very high mean scores, indicating strong adherence to the recommended breastfeeding standards. Despite these positive findings, statistical analysis revealed no significant relationship between the two variables. This outcome may be attributed to the small sample size and a ceiling effect in the responses. The study highlighted the necessity for breastfeeding interventions aimed at adolescent mothers. It called for breastfeeding education that includes family members, improved lactation support services, an effective discharge and follow-up monitoring system, and future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes to explore other factors that may affect breastfeeding practices.