Impact of Nurse-Led Postnatal Education on Breastfeeding Practices, Infant Growth, and Maternal Confidence in Newborn Care: A Review

Abstract

The postnatal period is a critical phase for both mother and infant, during which appropriate education and support can significantly influence maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Nurse-led postnatal education has emerged as an effective strategy to improve breastfeeding practices, promote healthy infant growth, and enhance maternal confidence in newborn care. Nurses play a pivotal role in providing evidence-based information, emotional support, and practical guidance to mothers during the immediate postpartum period and beyond. This review examines the impact of nurse-led postnatal educational interventions on breastfeeding outcomes, infant growth indicators, and maternal self-confidence in caring for newborns. Literature indicates that structured nursing education improves breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration while reducing breastfeeding-related complications. Furthermore, enhanced maternal knowledge contributes to better infant nutritional status, growth, and developmental outcomes. Nurse-led educational programs also strengthen maternal self-efficacy, reduce anxiety, and improve competence in newborn care activities such as bathing, feeding, cord care, immunization, and recognizing danger signs. Despite demonstrated benefits, barriers such as inadequate staffing, limited resources, cultural beliefs, and insufficient follow-up continue to affect implementation. The review highlights the need for comprehensive and culturally sensitive nurse-led postnatal education programs to improve maternal and infant health outcomes globally.