Effectiveness of Reflex Zone Therapy on Lactation among Postnatal Mothers of Selected Hospitals

Background of the study: Breast feeding is a natural human activity. To have the full benefit of breastfeeding, the WHO recommended exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months of life and supplemented breastfeeding for at least one year. In 2007, the rate of breastfeeding at early postpartum was 75.0 %, at 6 months of age was 43.0% and at 12 months was 22.2%. apparently, more than 50% of mother failed to breastfeed their baby adequately and thus face a risk of lactation failure due to stress, fatigue, anxiety, unfounded fears and also anaesthesia, strong sedation, prolong labour, surgical intervention, placenta retention etc. (Edmond KM. et. al., 2000) OBJECTIVES 1. To assess the lactation before reflex zone therapy in control group and experimental group among postnatal mothers admitted in postnatal wards of selected hospitals.2. To assess the lactation after reflex zone therapy in experimental group among postnatal mothers admitted in postnatal wards of selected hospitals. Methods: A Quasi - experimental two group pre - test post - test design was conducted to assess the effectiveness of reflex zone therapy on lactation among postnatal mothers admitted in postnatal wards of selected hospitals. Total 40 samples were selected by non - probability purposive sampling technique. Demographic profile was used to collect data and LATCH breastfeeding assessment tool scale was used to assess the effectiveness of reflex zone therapy on lactation. The effectiveness of reflex zone therapy on lactation had been analysed by mean, SD and test of significance by unpaired ?t? test. Results: The post - test mean score of experimental group was 11.90 with standard deviation of 0.91. P value was 0.00. The p value of the test was less than 0.05, hence the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected and alternative hypothesis (H1) is accepted.