A mixed-methods study of student experiences and mother-baby outcomes in a novel interprofessional student-led breastfeeding clinic

Background: An interprofessional student-led breastfeeding Clinic provided collaborative care to mothers and babies with breastfeeding difficulties. Student midwives and student chiropractors providing care were supervised by their respective registered lecturer-clinicians. This pragmatic, mixed-methods study used qualitative methods to explore students' experiences and early-career practitioners' reflections of the Clinic, and quantitative methods to describe mother and baby feeding outcomes after attending the Clinic. Methods: Thirty-two students participated in seven focus groups, and seven former students were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Fifty-four mothers who attended the Clinic participated in a prospective study. Data were collected when they first attended the Clinic, and again when their baby was six and twelve weeks of age. Statistical analyses were completed using SPSS. Findings: Themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis were interprofessional working, learning in the Clinic, gaining confidence, supporting the dyad, supporting mothers, and the Clinic. Fifty-nine per cent of mothers (n=32) completed the questionnaire at six weeks, 52% (n=28) completed at twelve weeks. At six weeks, 100% (n=32) of mothers continued to breastfeed, 68% (n=21) were totally breastfeeding, and 73% (n=22) achieved their feeding goal. At twelve weeks, 85% (n=24) of mothers continued to breastfeed, 68% (n=19) were totally breastfeeding, and 71% (n=20) achieved their feeding goal. Conclusions: Student and early-career midwives and chiropractors obtained valuable learning in the Clinic, particularly in collaborative practice and breastfeeding support. The interprofessional nature of the Clinic offered opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, skills, and communication to provide breastfeeding support, whilst supporting mothers to continue to breastfeed and meet their personal goals.